Beltane Night
by katwithlove
Summary: It was the night that was supposed to bring her deeper into the Wizarding culture. After feeling like an outsider for so long, she was finding herself again as a witch. Instead, the night became the catalyst for the next wizarding War. She's fighting for her life and he's looking to protect the beautiful girl he spent time with during Beltane.
1. I

**Beltane Night**  
><em>I: Dreamtide<em>

She sat upon her counter with a book in hand: The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Hermione clutched the book tightly in her grasp, and let her fingers absentmindedly wander the old pages. They danced along the small bit of cover that showed when the book was held open on her lap. Occasionally she would bite her lip or crinkled her nose. These were in response to the good parts or the most tragic in her book. Hermione was a great fan of the fairy tale author and aspired to write as he did, and have her stories immortalized into legends.

Hermione had some success writing about her life with her friends during their years at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She wrote tall tales, and some that were more truthful than others would like to believe. She was not world renowned, but she had gained a fan-base and following in Britain. She was more than content with having them; they were unrelenting with their support of the brightest witch of her age. That title had been thrust upon her by the professors and Minister of Magic during her years at Hogwarts; it was a large expectation to live up to.

She didn't look up when the bell on the door of her shop rang. Her focus was unshaken while she soaked up the words from one of her favorite fairy tales. The idea of the Deathly Hallows still hung in the air and she knew them to be more than just a fairytale now.

The Deathly Hallows had been revealed to her at the end of her seventh year at Hogwarts. The Death Eaters were clear with their intentions; that they wanted Voldemort to rise to power again and with the threat looming over the Orders heads it couldn't be ignored. They knew what Voldemort wanted to possess, and with the help of Ollivander and Xeno Lovegood they were now aware of the artifacts locations.

"Excuse me, Miss Granger," said a small house elf, "we have the shipment of your books that you've ordered." The house elf stared up at Hermione with a smile; they were old friends. Hermione was startled from her reading by the small voice and looked down at her old companion with a large smile. She gently placed her book down before sliding off of the counter; landing with a light thud.

"Good morning, Peony, thank you for bringing in the shipment. How are you?" asked Hermione. She had always been fond the little house elf, but especially after she attempted to set her free. Hermione ended up with three stitches while Peony hit herself into oblivion for hurting a young witch. The two had a strange friendship, but after Peony explained to Hermione why she didn't want to be set free things became better. Hermione become embarrassed for trying to set them free and instead fought for equal rights, mainly pay with time off for the house elves.

"Splendid Miss, Peony will bring in your shipment!" the little elf cried happily before disapparating out of the store. She came back moments later with a resounding crack, and she stood next to the large box of rare and unidentified books that Hermione had requested. "Here, Miss Hermione," Peony said.

"Help yourself to the cookies in the back before you go, you deserve it," Hermione smiled down at the elf and patted her awkwardly on the head. Hermione watched as Peony scampered into the back of the shop.

She knelt down next to the box and opened it up; dust flew up from the books inside, and she waved it away wordlessly. She had special ordered a few books that a wizard had asked for last week. She catered to wealthy wizards and witches and found books that you would never find at Flourish and Blott's. She prided herself on having rare and unusual works which included things like Dark Magic, but those were only sold to particular customers. She denied having books on the subject to the outside world despite this. She couldn't risk accidentally selling them to a witch or wizard in affiliation with Death Eaters.

Finally, in her grasp was a book by Godric Gryffindor; one that she longed for. He was one of the four founders of Hogwarts, and he had written in a journal about the construction of the school. She had been fascinated by the construction since the opening of the Chamber of Secrets in her second year.

Hermione had every edition of Hogwarts: A History, and with this she was almost finished with her collection of Hogwarts dedicated books. She knew almost everything about the school, and after she read this she would now know every secret that the founders had planned out.

She sat once again, this time cross-legged, on the rug in front of her cash register and counter. She was enthralled to be touching the same journal that her house founder once had in his hands. Hermione had Gryffindor pride that influenced her even after school. This pleased the Princess of Gryffindor; his name had been signed under every journal entry and blue print. She was truly holding a piece of Hogwarts history, but she couldn't find it in her heart to keep it. It belonged rightfully in the school at the Headmistress's desk, but nothing said that she couldn't keep it for a short time to read it herself.

She touched the pages as one would caress a lover's cheek. This was what satisfied her heart, knowing that she would have knowledge that others did not. Hermione prided herself on her brain and quick thinking; it had been useful for the Golden Trio on more than one occasion. It was what set her apart from the others during school; at least in the Gryffindor household.

Hermione's head snapped up towards the door when the ringing caught her attention. Her face brightened exponentially, if that was possible, when she saw Narcissa Malfoy standing in her doorway. She had gotten quite close to the pure-blood witch since they met in Diagon Alley seven years ago.

~o~

**August 12th, 1991**

_An eleven-year-old Hermione weaved through crowds of people in Diagon Alley, it was her first time being on her own and it was the first time that she was in Diagon Alley; the wizards shopping area. She had received her letter at her orphanage the summer of 1991 and was quick to jump into learning about magic. She had never felt right among Muggles; non-magical folks. She was an outcast at her orphanage and school, so she was grateful to be given the opportunity to start over._

_Minerva McGonagall was sent to her orphanage to bring Hermione to the Hogwarts castle- considering that she was a Muggle-born and didn't know a thing about navigating her new world. McGonagall set Hermione up with a Gringotts account and helped exchange the Muggle money, which her parents had left her, into wizard currency._

_McGonagall couldn't help her with supply shopping; she had to help Dumbledore set up Hogwarts for the new arrivals. Hermione was set on doing everything right and quickly learned how to use the Floo Network to go to Diagon Alley. She was given a purse that would house all of her books thanks to an extending charm on it from her teacher; since she had to go alone._

_She purchased her wand; 10 3/4th inches long and made of vine wood with a dragon heartstring core. Ollivander treated her like an adult, and explained to her how wands chose their owners. He taught her that wands responded to their chosen witch or wizard when picked up; almost like a connection that had finally been made. She purchased her very first wand at the price of seven Galleons and proudly kept it in her cloak._

_Now she was in Flourish and Blott's looking for textbooks; which were on a long list McGonagall had supplied. She was on the end cap of an aisle reaching up to grab one of the books that she needed for her transfiguration classes. Hermione had yet to use her wand and wasn't sure how to use a levitating charm correctly._

_"Do you need help?" she heard a musical voice behind her and looked up to see a woman with bright platinum blonde hair standing behind her. She nodded, and opted to stay mute until the woman pointed to the book that she needed. Hermione nodded again and didn't say a word to her. The woman smiled at her and brought the book down to Hermione's extensive collection. Despite the costs, Hermione wanted to be prepared and was willing to buy any books that she needed and some that she wanted, as well._

_"Thank you misses…" Hermione trailed off._

_"Mrs. Malfoy, but you may call me Narcissa. Now, where are your parents, sweetie?" Narcissa asked politely, but Hermione still watched her with cautious eyes. The woman knelt down as best she could in her tight dress robes, and her smile never faltered despite the uncomfortable position._

_Hermione was weary of her, but said curtly, "They aren't here. I'm on my own."_

_"Well shouldn't they be here? You are going to Hogwarts, are you not?" She questioned Hermione and she nodded once again to the older witch._

_"My parents are not alive Mrs. Malfoy; it's just me. I live at the castle now with Professor McGonagall. You see, I'm a Muggle-born witch and I don't know much about these things," Hermione said. She watched as the woman's face changed momentarily before it changed back into a smile. Hermione recognized the face she made before—it was pity and she didn't want it from anyone._

_"A Muggle-born you say? Well we will have to just help you now. Would you like to shop with myself and my family? I assure you that you will be looked after, and we can make the boys do all of the carrying." She joked with the young girl and held out her hand. Hermione looked at the hand curiously before placing her small hand in the older witch's. Narcissa, with a flick of her wand, levitated the copious amount of books that Hermione planned on getting and helped her walk through the book store. It was always crowded the month before school started with bustling families._

_She kept a tight hold on Narcissa's hand; she was starting to feel less intimidated by the large shopping alley now that she had someone with her who knew their way around. Narcissa had suddenly become a person of comfort to Hermione; she didn't want to let go of her hand._

_Hermione felt the older witch's eyes on her as they approached a tall man with long silvery hair and a young boy who looked around her age. She noted how he resembled Narcissa in appearance, but for the most part he looked like the man standing next to him, and she couldn't miss the scowl that was on his face._

_"My love, this is—well I don't quite know your name, dear," Narcissa said, and looked down at young Hermione._

_She debated in her head if she should give them her real name, but if he was going to be attending Hogwarts with her he would know eventually. "Hermione—Hermione Granger," she replied, and beamed up at the witch; trusting her completely. She was blissfully unaware of the prejudices that her name would come with in the wizarding world._

_"Narcissa, what is this nonsense," the older man spat out at his wife. Narcissa stepped in front of Hermione, and shielded her away from her own husband and son._

_"That ship sailed a long time ago. I am helping her, and if you do not like it then Merlin help you!" Narcissa spat out at her husband. Hermione watched the exchange in fascination._

_"We do not—"_

_"—What Lucius, what do we not do? Help children? Do not fight with me on this one, we both know who will win."_

_Hermione examined the boy in front of her; he looked embarrassed by his parents bickering in public. His cheeks were tinted pink and he leaned against one of the book shelves with his arms crossed. Hermione followed his gaze down to the floor; his face set in a hard glare. She wondered if the boy heard them argue often, or if it just had to do with the subject they were arguing about._

_The adults talked for a few more minutes until Narcissa said it was time for them to head out and purchase their textbooks. They waited in line, and Hermione noticed the stares that she was getting from the older wizards and witches around her. A few times they would stop by and sneer at her new found companion, but she watched as Narcissa handled them with grace and dignity._

_Narcissa helped her pay for the books, and Hermione placed each of them neatly inside of her purse. They were thankfully tucked away safely, for when she needed to Floo home._

_She was helped the rest of the day by the family, and soon learned the names of Narcissa's husband and son. She believed that Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy were stubborn cows when they complained to Narcissa nonstop over things that couldn't be controlled. They did not take to well to her at first, but became cordial as the day went on. Narcissa insisted that Hermione owl her whenever she needed anything, even if it was just for a pleasant chat._

_It was a strange friendship that had formed, but a friendship none the less._

~o~

"Hermione, what are you doing on the ground?" Narcissa asked, amused at the young witch in front of her. Hermione was a lady in some sense of the word except when books came into play, then everything Narcissa had taught her would go out the window.

"Reading, I have a new shipment in, and I couldn't help it," Hermione smiled while getting up; she brushed the dust off of her pants. She smiled sheepishly up at her friend and picked up the large box, placing it on the countertop gingerly.

"Could you be persuaded to come with me for coffee? We simply must catch up," Narcissa questioned; her tone was motherly like always.

"Is a blueberry muffin in the deal of this persuasion?" Hermione questioned with a smirk, she had learned that one from the Malfoys.

"It can be arranged," Narcissa laughed, and Hermione walked over; sliding her arm through Narcissa's. She quickly locked up her shop and put the wards up, before they walked down the street. They walked wordlessly through the snow towards the new café that had recently opened up. The restaurants and eateries were mainly on the south side of Diagon Alley.

"So, how have things been dear? Do you miss your classes?" Narcissa asked when they were a bit of a way from the café. Hermione blushed and shook her head laughing with the witch. Everyone knew of her love for learning. She felt that, because she was a Muggle-born, she was gifted something beautiful and shouldn't waste her time not absorbing everything that she could. It was a rare trait that drew Narcissa to her in the first place. Hermione remembered how every report card she would show Narcissa what she had learned just as Narcissa's own son did.

Hermione motioned with her left hand, "it's great not to have to wake up extra early every day, and as much as I miss Minerva; I can still visit her whenever I want. I love Hogwarts, and it will always be my home, but it's not so bad living on my own with Crooks." She adored her cat to no end; he was an intelligent half kneazle who loved her dearly.

"Finally, you've stepped away from studying so much. Draco used to tell me all the time that you had your nose in a book, and he didn't know if you could survive without one," she teased Hermione.

"Yes, well it was important—"Hermione saw one of the many passing wizards sneer towards her and Narcissa, making her pause mid-sentence and start in a new direction "—do you think that it will ever end? I thought by now that they would have something new to act offended by," she huffed. It irritated her to no bounds when people looked down upon her or Narcissa because of who they hung out with.

"You mean the disgusting vultures who stare? No, we will always be in the papers and in the public eye; it's easier to pay them no mind though. Besides, can they really help it? We are two very attractive women out for a stroll; we're bound to cause attention," she winked at Hermione and covered her mouth with her other hand laughing. Hermione felt better and squeezed her arm slightly around Narcissa's.

They finally arrived at the café and sat inside near the windows, so they could see the snow falling outside. Hermione believed that Diagon alley was beautiful in snow fall; despite the large amounts of footprints and dirt in the snow. Most didn't dawdle outside in the cold, so she could appreciate the sheer size of Diagon Alley when it was partially empty.

Both ordered coffee and blueberry muffins; it was just their thing that they shared together. The day after one of the boys in Slytherin called her a Mudblood, she wrote to Narcissa asking what it was. Ron wouldn't tell her, for fear of hurting her feelings she suspected, and Harry was oblivious to what it meant due to him being raised by Muggles as well. Narcissa had taken Hermione to Hogsmeade and explained what it meant. It was the first time that she realized there were blood prejudices in the world, and she cried for hours. She didn't fit into the muggle world and was now considered an outcast in the world she thought she was meant for.

"Are you excited for Beltane this year? I was so excited for my first time at the celebration as a woman, and nervous," Narcissa laughed, and picked at her muffin.

Hermione looked up from her muffin startled, "Beltane?" she questioned.

"Yes, didn't you, hasn't—why didn't anyone tell me that you didn't know?" Narcissa took a small breath before continuing. "It's something that we do in the wizarding community. Beltane is May 1st, it celebrates giving new life and magic to the world. We celebrate it every year just like Samhain," Narcissa said.

"I've heard of it in theory, but I didn't know anyone celebrated it," Hermione admitted; she thought it was more archaic than modern. Her cheeks were tinted red now, because it wasn't frequent that she didn't know something from all of the reading that she had done.

"Lucius and I have a party every year to celebrate it; most of the wizarding community in Britain comes to the Manor. Oh you will come, won't you?" Narcissa urged her and took Hermione's hand in both of hers.

"I don't know anything about it; I would probably stand out like a sore thumb. I haven't found any books that talk about it explicitly—they all only reference it," Hermione rambled.

"We're not allowed to write it down; this is something that must be passed from generation to generation. If you would permit me, I would love to be a stand-in matriarch for you. Lucius is handling Draco and his needs, and I don't have a daughter of my own. I'll teach you everything, oh you must come, Hermione—it's like a witch or wizards coming of age!" she exclaimed.

"I don't know, Narcissa…"Hermione trailed off. She wanted to be part of everything that the wizarding world did, this was her world; she had to keep reminding herself. People had become more accepting of her because of her association to Harry, but it wasn't always enough.

Narcissa rubbed soothing circles against Hermione's hand and finally she nodded her head in consent. Hermione prayed silently in hopes that she wouldn't regret making this decision; she knew that Narcissa could easily push things past the point of no return. Narcissa sat on the other side of the table beaming at the young witch.

"What is it that we are celebrating?" Hermione asked carefully.

"Beltane is the celebration of fertility and purity. The crops grew better and women became mothers, oh—it is the night of all nights to fall in love. That's how Lucius and I fell in love, you know. The Mother Goddess is united with her Horned God finally after his acts of becoming a man. He proves his worth to her and because he proves himself to be worthy she takes him into her bed; it's beautiful," Narcissa explained.

"You are alright to help me though, there's nothing against it?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I'm alright to help you, there were many times that witches took the place of another to help and because you are Muggle-born it is necessary, don't you fret. I will teach you everything and prepare you. Then when you have children, you may pass it down to them; only the girls of course," she smiled.

"Then yes, please help me," both women now smiled at one another. Hermione then decided to change the subject and asked how she was going to prepare her garden after the snow melted. Narcissa's face lit up as she went into full details.

Their lunch was interrupted a few moments later by Narcissa's son. Draco stood awkwardly near their table, he coughed once to get his mother's attention and she smiled up at him. She quickly moved out of her seat to embrace her son. "Draco dear, I'm so glad that you could make it. Please sit down" She offered the seat next to her which he took politely and nodded his head towards Hermione. It was no surprise that the two acted cordially towards one another. They had never been friends at Hogwarts, but instead ignored each other.

That was when Hermione became aware of the blood prejudice that had been held by this world. This was yet another prejudice that people couldn't help about themselves; she couldn't change the blood that ran through her veins. The Slytherins loved to mistreat her and do more harm than good with their name calling and bullying.

It had resulted in her punching Draco in the nose third year, because of his attitude towards Hagrid. Afterwards he left her alone, it wasn't that they were cordial after, but they had come to a silent understanding. She had believed that he disliked her because of her blood status until the night that Ron snogged Lavender Brown. Harry had left her to seek out Ginny, and Draco had been in the astronomy tower; she didn't know what for, but also didn't question it. Instead of his usual sneers and remarks he sat with her silently while she cried for the last time over Ronald Weasley. Part of her believed that he tried to make amends by the end of sixth and seventh year, because of his mother. Narcissa didn't like them fighting, but understood that her husband had demanded Draco follow in his path, but Lucius had even started to make an exception for Hermione.

She hadn't had a conversation with him without him sneering at her until her seventh year. Narcissa explained that Hermione was top of her class and that no blood supremacy could be truthful if a Muggle-born witch was top of her class, and more advanced than most. Lucius, only then, began to treat her like a human, instead of someone or something beneath him, and his fondness for her had grown ever since. He had even gotten to the point where he smiled at her just last month.

"How is my favorite boy?" she smiled and kissed his forehead once more, this earned a laugh from Hermione. Narcissa loved her son more than anything in the entire world, and she was fiercely loyal to her immediate family.

"Well, mother, was there any specific reason that you have asked me to"—his gaze fell over Hermione while she sipped her cup of coffee—"this lunch." Hermione kept her eyes on her coffee afterwards, because she knew of Narcissa's fondness for both her and Draco just as she knew of Molly Weasley's want to obtain her as a daughter-in-law.

"I wanted to see you darling, is that a crime?" she scoffed at her son.

"It is when you have been scheming again, how Granger puts up with your ways, I shall never know. I love you mother, but your Slytherin is showing," he laughed, and signaled for the waitress to bring over more coffee.

Narcissa was wandlessly stirring her coffee; a habit she had picked up from Hermione. She had told Narcissa to try it out, because it soothed and relaxed her with the small gesture.

"Oh poppycock, my Slytherin is always showing," she protested. Hermione looked up at Narcissa when Draco went white at his mother's swearing: she never swore around her son. It was improper and un-lady like, she was always the poised and calm one among her family; at least that was what Hermione noticed.

"You have something to do with this," he accused, and pointed his finger at Hermione.

"Your Mother has in fact, always talked like that, but she just chooses to be polite around her son. I can't help it if she finally realized that you're just as much of a prat as I've always believed you to be," Hermione jested, and took another sip of her coffee.

"You wonder why we don't get along," Draco was talking to the air.

"Are you still sore that I punched your beautiful face?" Hermione questioned and placed her coffee down on the table.

"You think my face is beautiful?" He retorted, and she flushed; looking away from him quickly.

"I was kidding. I meant it as an insult. You know, referring to your—vain qualities," she waved him off and covered her face with one of her hands.

"No, I think we need to talk about how beautiful you think I am," he replied charmingly, the famous Malfoy smirk was plastered on his face. He gave Hermione a once over before cocking his brow, but it only made her scowl deepen.

"Oh stop teasing the poor girl, some are immune to the Malfoy charm," Narcissa came to her rescue. Hermione wasn't a fool, any woman who wasn't blind could see that Malfoy was attractive; he used it to his advantage whenever he was given the chance. He had charmed many teachers in Hogwarts and had gained a reputation from most of his 'conquests' through the years.

"Yes, some of us are very immune to it Malfoy," Hermione replied. It never felt odd calling him by his last name around Narcissa. If anything it was almost a term of endearment by now that they called each other by their last names. She couldn't imagine calling him Draco, and she bet that he wouldn't feel comfortable calling her, Hermione.

"Now children, get along," Narcissa ordered playfully.

"Yes," they both said at the same time and glared at each other before looking away. Neither of them was amused even though it happened often that they would say the same thing at the same time. They couldn't agree on much except for the fact they were comfortable with their bickering and the non-friendship that they had formed.

"And here comes Potter and the Weasel," Draco muttered. Hermione looked through the glass to see her friends walking up towards them. She waved excitedly and got up from her seat to greet them, Ginny had hugged her in a flash and they each said their hello's to each other.

"How are you all, you haven't written in weeks," she slapped Harry's arm in frustration. Her friends were wonderful, but they were not diligent in keeping her informed. She only saw Ginny every day because she lived in the flat above her, after graduating from Hogwarts a year early. She had shown mastery of all skills above her grade when she became part of the DA. Hermione was proud of what they were able to teach Dumbledore's Army and especially one of her best girlfriends, Ginny.

"I know, but Auror training is taking its toll, I feel like an old man now," he laughed and Hermione invited them to sit down at their table. Draco looked sick and Narcissa kept her smile plastered on her face; she wasn't ignorant to the fact her friends didn't like each other. However, for the most part they acted cordial to one another if it was just Narcissa, because they knew it was no use arguing with Hermione when her mind was made up.

"I'm not sitting with Death Eaters," Ron snapped.

Hermione had enough with his foolishness and the rest of the worlds today, and after having to see the sneer that some people would throw their way she was ready to yell. Her relationship with Narcissa had always been questioned and her only defense was that she was a good woman. She may not be able to talk about Narcissa's son and husband, but Narcissa Malfoy had never uttered a foul word towards her.

"Then don't sit here, I was asking Harry and Ginny," Hermione retorted, and sat down in her seat across from the pair of blondes.

"They aren't going to be sitting here either, and if you knew anything then you wouldn't be with them." Ron stated firmly, and started to walk away from the table. Hermione knew that Ron expected Harry and his sister to follow suit.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, how dare you! They haven't said two words to you, and do not insult my intelligence because you cannot get over your own prejudices," she hissed out at him. That stopped him in his tracks and he turned around; he was visibly upset and his face was slowly turning the same shade as his wild red hair.

"My prejudices, you're bloody joking! Have you forgotten what their kind has done to you and your people? Why do you even entertain the idea of them? As soon as you are no longer entertaining then the silly bint will turn her back on you," he sneered out at Hermione. Harry quickly stepped between them and pressed his palm against Ron's shoulder. Hermione had gotten more upset, and now was standing again. They were already causing a scene in the café, and it would surely be on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Draco stood up as well, and moved from around his mother to stand nose to nose with Ron. His malicious intent was evident. Ron had insulted his Mother and that just wouldn't do, Hermione had witnessed what he was capable of before, and as much as she was irritated with Ron she didn't want him to get hurt.

"Yes Ronald, you do have prejudices. They have been nothing but nice to me now, and Narcissa has helped me so don't go around calling her names. You forget that you are a pure-blood too, and if that is what you are basing this on then I shouldn't be talking to you either. They are good people, but you are too blind to see it. I'm so sorry Narcissa, Malfoy," she said and looked at both of them. She was embarrassed by her close friend, if she could call him that anymore. He had always looked out for her and she had admired him for years until sixth year. They still remained friends, but the rift in their friendship was widening and it scared her.

"Weasel, it's best if you leave—now," the tone in his voice laced with venom for Ron. Hermione was even startled by his voice. She moved her hand to reach out to Draco, but quickly pulled it back, she knew that she would regret it if she touched him and he got upset.

"Hermione, let's just go." Ron reached out his hand to grab Hermione's upper arm, and when he started to pull her she struggled against him.

"Ronald, let go." she commanded. If there was one thing she hated more than her intelligence being insulted, it was being man-handled.

Draco grabbed Ron by the shirt and pushed him far away from them before stepping in front of Hermione. She was in shock that he had done something for her, but she knew it was mostly out of his loyalty to his family: that and she knew he wanted to hit Ron.

Draco never took his eyes off of Ron, "Potter, take your little friend here and leave. I won't say it again," he demanded. Hermione watched as Harry took their friend by the back of his shirt and dragged him away. She saw the apologetic look on his face and Ginny's while she apologized profusely for her brother's lack of manners, and went after the boys' moments after.

Hermione went to thank Draco, but his hands were in his now messy hair. He threw money down on the table without a word to her.

"My apologies for ruining lunch, Mother," he muttered, almost too quiet for Hermione to hear, and he left without a glance back at them. She stood there awkwardly, and unsure of herself. Narcissa stood up, and took Hermione's arm in hers before pulling her out into Diagon Alley.

"No need to fret, dear. I wasn't offended by some silly boy's meaningless words. Let's go find some herbs and potion ingredients that we need for our Beltane traditions. I'm in need of some Dreamtide; it's what makes the potion extra special," she assured Hermione, and dragged her through the various shops.

Slug and Jiggers Apothecary was their main store until Narcissa was pleased with everything they had. She told Hermione that she would need to go home and get a good night's rest before they start brewing the potions, and educating her in the Beltane rites and rituals.

Hermione arrived home later than expected and found her cat on the counter with his canned food already sitting there. Her kneazle was a very smart boy, but he was a handful. If she ever arrived late, he was already waiting for her like a parent. He would never fall asleep at night without her in the bed unless Hermione sent Ginny down to tuck him in; he was just like a baby.

"Oh Crooks, I'm so sorry," she apologized, and ran her fingers through his soft fur. She opened his can and the cat quickly began to devour the food like he hadn't eaten in years. She was happy to see him not too upset with her; Crooks could hold grudges for months.

She flung off her shoes to the corner of her small flat and laid down on her couch, thinking about the day. She was fortunate that she was be taken in by Narcissa, and given the opportunity to participate in Beltane. She pulled one of her books from the coffee table and turned on the telly.

She read a few chapters before the book made its way to her chest, and she fell asleep on her couch; exhaustion was taking over and soon she was snoring lightly. Crookshanks looked at his master, and scurried over to snuggle into her side.

This was the life.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading. I will be updating as soon as possiblewhenever my stories are validated. It would mean a lot for you to review and any constructive criticism is welcome.**

**Banner and Chapter Photos are made by me.**

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**Beta Readers: A Thousand and One Hours **


	2. II

**Beltane Night**  
><em>II: Winter Breathe<em>

She was awake before six o'clock, and she fed Crookshanks before sitting at her small table in the kitchen. She wrote out various letters to her old school companions and one specifically to Minerva McGonagall. Hermione made it a point to keep in touch with her friends from Hogwarts now that they only saw each other on occasion.

She hadn't heard a peep from the new Headmistress at Hogwarts, McGonagall, and it surprised her. Dumbledore's death was quick to turn things around in their sixth year, and no one knew how he had been thrown from the astronomy tower. However, Hermione had an inkling that Harry knew what happened to their Headmaster that night. Now Dumbledore's portrait hung inside Headmistress McGonagall's office, and still he spoke in riddles and haikus. McGonagall had written to her about how it drove her mad, when she had a problem Dumbledore seldom gave her advice bluntly.

She promptly sealed her letter and placed it neatly on the stack of other sealed letters. She would have to go to an owlery to send them later. Hermione didn't own an owl and never saw a reason to purchase one, but it could have been a time saving purchase. She simply preferred to use the owls at the Owl Office.

Without a second thought she picked up her mug of peppermint tea and walked across her living room to the back window of her apartment. She often used her fire escape like a balcony; no one questioned her, or forbid her from doing so. Most mornings she was able to step out for a few moments, when she wasn't working on her next books, and she was able to enjoy the view over London.

She sat out on her fire escape her tea in hand and watched the snow fall down to the city below her. The people below her walked through the light sprinkle of snow, and carried on merrily. She only noticed a few of the children who were determined to play in it; they stuck their tongues out and spun around much to their parent's dismay.

She loved living in the Wizarding part of London; she was able to cast a warming charm without anyone batting an eyelash at her. Hermione was finally free to be who she wanted to be—there was no need for pretenses, or to hide.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a pitiful _meow_ coming from her window. Crookshanks pawed at the window sill and his face resembled that of a grumpy old man. His cries became more frantic as he tried to step out of the window and onto the platform.

"Oh Crooks, what are you doing out here, boy?" she questioned him, and pulled him up by the scurf of his neck and cuddled him tight. He had never minded being a substitute pillow, or teddy bear for his mistress. He never once bit or scratched her, but that couldn't be said for her friends. Crooks didn't make a lot of friends at all, and in fact he wasn't well liked among Hermione's friends except for Ginny. Ginny seemed to have a soft spot for the cat, and on more than one occasion she was able to pet him without him freaking out.

Hermione rambled on about what had happened yesterday to Crooks like he could really understand her. She did this every day even though Ginny only lived upstairs; she felt lonely. She had concluded within the first week of living alone that she was a social creature, and she needed to talk to them as much as she needed her alone time.

"Cat lady, what are you doing down there? Are you harassing crooks again?" Ginny called down to her, and Hermione looked up through the grates to see her red-headed friend poking her head out of her window.

"I am not harassing him! He's listening to me ramble because I didn't think you would be up, your highness," Hermione replied, and rolled her eyes as the sarcasm dripped from her mouth.

"Well, I am. Mum won't stop owling me to make sure that we're coming tonight for dinner. Can I come down?" She called down the fire escape.

"Of course, I'll put on another kettle and get the pancake batter ready!" Hermione called up and thrust crooks through the window; he landed on his feet and scampered away towards his nest of toys. It was built from other found objects that he had collected from other flats. Hermione believed he had a bit of Slytherin in him.

She walked through her flat and scratched her stomach gently; lifting up her oversized sweater. Her pajama clothes consisted of a tank top, sweater, and large sweats. Occasionally in the winter months she would sleep in a scarf or put it on in the early hours of the moment; like this morning.

Her hair was its usual bushy self, and she didn't try to fix it in the morning unless she was going somewhere. Trying to control it wasn't worth the hassle if it was just Ginny coming over. She shuffled through her kitchen and pulled out the kettle then put it on the stove before mixing up a pancake batter. This was _their _thing. Most mornings when it was a lazy day they would lounge around one of their places and eat pancakes in the morning before going off shopping, or catching up on some work that needed to be done.

Ginny was a successful Quidditch player for the Holyhead Harpies so her days off consisted of this and then practice like normally. She was an accomplished Quidditch player, and she took her practice seriously. Hermione was her biggest supporter, besides Harry, and frequently went to watch her.

Hermione watched Ginny come in unannounced, like she always did, and sit down at the table. Hermione charmed the spatula and batter to flip themselves when they were done; she then levitated the kettle to pour Ginny a hot cup of tea.

"So, is Molly harassing you that badly that you had to wake up early?" Hermione asked skeptically. Molly could be crazy, but she had never sent an owl earlier to Ginny than eleven o'clock.

"Yes! You don't understand— I didn't open the window at first, but this owl leaves and two more come back. I let the owls in and instead of reading the letters I toss them out. These bloody owls come back a second time and then a third after I toss every letter—it's like she knows!" Ginny exclaimed, and she grumbled angrily into her tea when she brought it up to her lips. Hermione scrunched up her face and opened her mouth before shutting it again; she couldn't even make an attempt to stick up for Molly this time.

"She loves you, what did the letter say anyway? You did read this damn letter, didn't you?" Hermione asked and placed her cup down then held her hand out for the letter in question.

"Of course I did, those rats with wings wouldn't leave me alone, but I couldn't bring myself to hex them into leaving with the animal rights activist below me; funny right?" Ginny teased and handed Hermione the envelope.

Hermione opened it quickly and straightened out the parchment before examining it. She read a few lines in and her face crinkled in disgust. Hermione noticed Ginny's silence while she read the rest of it and placed it gingerly on the table.

The pancakes had magically made their way over towards them and Ginny began to dig in. Hermione laughed in her head silently, the Weasley's were known for their eating habits. Hermione brought a few pieces of pancake up to her lips; contemplating the letter still.

Hermione finally set her fork down and said, "She really believes that you and Harry won't marry just to spite her? Is she crazy? I can't even cover the part where she said that Ronald and I should be giving her grandbabies by now. I love your mother to death but Ginny is she blind?" Hermione was astonished by the woman's letter. Mrs. Weasley could really be ignorant to everything going around her. She had a set plan on how things were supposed to be, and she didn't steer away from it.

Ginny ungracefully swallowed the pancakes that were shoved in her mouth and took a sip of the tea before grinning at Hermione sheepishly.

"No clue, she's just upset I think because she knows you aren't hers for Beltane. Harry told me she was saying some undesirable things about Malfoy's mum keeping you away from her. She acts like it was a guaranteed thing that you and Ron would get together after this," Ginny laughed. Hermione noticed that they were sat the same way on their chairs, one leg up on the chair with their dominate hand over it.

"It's never a thing, speaking of this though; why didn't you ever tell me about Beltane?" Hermione asked.

"I figured that you would know about it from Narcissa, they have the party every year and I just never put two and two together— I'm sorry Mione," Ginny apologized.

Hermione nodded and waved her hand in the air, "enough of that; don't even worry about it. However, you have to tell me about what you've been going through. I feel as if I'm pretty late in this 'training' that were supposed to endure? I'm not really sure though," Hermione got up from her seat and motioned for Ginny to follow her into the living room. They sat down on the couch with Hermione's book on _Avalon_ between them.

"What do you want to know?" Ginny questioned.

"Why do we even do this? Isn't it a bit— old fashioned," Hermione tried the word in her mouth; she didn't want to say it seemed old period.

Ginny looked deep in thought for a moment before moving on the couch to get comfortable, "It's old fashioned but it's what we do to replenish our magic, and the Malfoy's have the party every year so that everyone comes to celebrate," she stated.

"Replenishes the magic?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"Well Merlin was associated with Avalon, its long gone by now but their religion supported the Mother Goddess. She's kind of like Mother Nature, but she takes care of everything in our world which is why we don't have electricity and things aren't modern; like muggles. Merlin and the keeper of Avalon were friends, Viviane, and through worshiping her goddess we were able to replenish and keep our magic. It sounds strange but it's just how we've always done it," Ginny shrugged at the last part.

"So were linked to Avalon, for sure? Why did it go away?" Hermione persisted.

Ginny furrowed her nose and bit her lip, "well the thing is that muggles didn't like us very much and replaced our old religion with Christianity. Magic was called miracles and if you could do them then you were good, unless you did too many of them, and then they would label you as a demon; a follower of Lucifer. Muggles made the old religion go away, but we practiced it in secret to keep our magic flowing through our veins. That's how magic has survived." Hermione could see the uncomfortable look on her friend's face. Whenever they talked about things like the Salem Witch Trials and violence against magic-folk by muggles, it was regarded as a touchy subject.

"That's horrible, so _we_ practice the old religion? You never seemed like you were very into that," Hermione pointed out. She didn't remember anyone but the Divination's teacher openly talking about the religion.

"Well you never asked, and we didn't know what you were into; it just never came up. Though, I went to the celebration up until puberty. As soon as I was considered a woman I wasn't allowed to anymore. Children of a certain age can attend until they get their period or begin to develop, and then you are not allowed to go until you graduate school," Ginny said, and Hermione listened intently. She needed to know everything about this.

"Okay, so everyone attends and the purpose is to celebrate the Mother Goddess. Children go until they hit puberty, and after graduation is when people may start attending again. That's simple enough but why do Narcissa and Molly have to get involved?" Hermione questioned.

Ginny had bright cheeks at that now. Hermione was curious as to what had caused the blush and looked around but was met with nothing.

"Well the thing is," Ginny coughed ", the Beltane is a coming of age ceremony for witches and wizards, right? It's also the night for love and romance, actually more like passion and lust. It's the night that the Goddess takes the Horned God into her bed, you know; sex," she whispered as if it was a big secret and it made Hermione giggle and cover her mouth.

"So that's why? What does that have to do with us?" Hermione asked.

Hermione watched Ginny rub her arm awkwardly, "it's a tradition that people go into the woods and consummate the relationship. It's a legend that the Goddess takes over the body of her willing vessel and she and the Horned God use them to copulate. It's kind of like a first time thing for Pureblood's," Ginny smiled shyly.

Hermione sat there for a few moments before realization dawned on her face and she opened her mouth to speak and then placed her hand back down on her lap; she was speechless. Her mouth was still open like a fish, and she put one finger up in the air; signaling that she had something to say.

"You mean like we— you and I, are supposed to have sex with others?" Hermione asked skeptically. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, because giving up her virginity in front of hundreds of other people didn't sound appealing.

"No, I mean it's something more than just that. You're becoming one with the magic; it's something that is so pure. If you're a couple you can obviously find that person when the time comes, the Goddess allows that, but it's only if you're meant to be. If you're single then you don't really know who, but you can find out!" she insisted, "I'm doing it, and my mum is making the dress for the ritual. Narcissa will probably be making yours," Ginny told her and picked up her thing of tea again.

"I want to be part of the wizard traditions. I don't know though, aren't you the slightest bit nervous about giving up your virginity to someone you don't know; in front of other people?" Hermione implored. She still couldn't wrap her brain around the idea.

Ginny cocked her head to the side while Hermione fidgeted nervously with her scarf. She couldn't comprehend why someone would want to have sex with a random person and to say it was part of a ritual at that. Beltane was interesting and she wanted to belong and to fit in but it seemed to out there and bizarre for her.

"Oh Mione, it's not in front of people. When the Goddess's Horned God goes to the hunt; the men leave the party, and we go off into the woods. Then one of the men, masked of course, finds us and if we accept it then we may engage," she trailed off. Hermione nodded her head still trying to wrap her brain around this concept, "I know that it sounds barbaric but once you're there, it's just magical. It's the night to fall in love." Ginny quickly amended. It eased Hermione's nerves but not by much.

Hermione looked around the room before leaning towards her friend, "do you have to be a virgin before this?" she asked her.

"Of course not, but it's kind of frowned upon that you engage in these activates before your coming of age; even men." Ginny confessed.

"But at Hogwarts it seemed like everyone was doing something, hell even Malfoy was known as good in bed!" Hermione said, because she was beyond confused.

"Hermione, there are other things you can do in bed besides _that_. Everyone you think was active was pretty active, just not like _that_, unless their parents weren't strict. I'm sure the Malfoy's were just as strict," Ginny stated and Hermione could feel her eyes on her. "So, have you ever—done it?" Ginny asked. The grin that was on her face disturbed Hermione, she felt like they were at an old Gryffindor sleepover with Pavarti and Lavender.

"No, I thought about it, but there just never was anyone. After your brother hooked up with Lavender Brown—I guess I just stopped looking. I mean I've been on dates, you know that. I know I've teased you about hooking up with Harry, but no I've never went all the way," Hermione said with her cheeks blushing red hot.

"If we go to dinner early, we can help mum and she can answer some of your questions, I'm sure. We have different initiation rites then guys, but that's all I know— It's all were allowed to know. They treat it like a secret club," Ginny said and rolled her eyes.

Hermione closed her eyes and made a mental decision, she would go through with everything. This was her world, and if she was a pure-blooded witch she would do it. She wanted to experience everything that her world had to offer her.

"Go and lock up, We'll apparates to the burrow after I change and feed crooks for the rest of the day," Hermione ordered and got up from her spot then went into the bedroom without saying goodbye to Ginny. They practically lived at each other's places and saw each other every day. The only time they were separated was when they were at work or asleep.

Hermione went through her drawers throwing and pulling clothes out randomly all over her room in search of her jeans. She was behind on laundry, but finally she found one of her pairs of jeans and slipped them on. She kept her sweater and scarf on; deciding to go as is. It wasn't a party or a big celebration; it was just Sunday dinner with the Weasleys.

Hermione walked over towards her mirror and brushed through her hair then braided it; she would do something with it tonight after she got back home. She put on ChapStick with a little mascara before running out towards the kitchen. She fed crooks in record time and walked out of her house with her purse and coat. Ginny was waiting outside, her Holyhead Harpies team jacket on.

"Ready?" Ginny asked.

"As much as I'll ever be," Hermione laughed and took her friend's hand. She held her wand in her coat pocket and Apparted them to the Burrow. The resounding _crack _surely alerted the whole tribe of Weasley's that they were here.

"Oh I'll never get used to that," Ginny exclaimed, and held onto Hermione's arm for support. "I remember now why I hate side-along apparition," she groaned. Hermione rubbed her friend's arm gingerly while helping her friend to the house. She had forgotten about her friends aversion to that, they hadn't apparted together for a long time. Normally Ginny came to the burrow before her so she never needed to do that.

"I'm really sorry Gin, next time you can go alone. It slipped my mind," Hermione grimaced, but Ginny shook her head and slowly stood up before they got to the door.

"I'm fine, don't sweat it. I just needed to right myself—there we go, let's go into the lion's den," Ginny teased her and Hermione pushed her back in a teasing manner before both girls walked into the house. There was no one in sight and not a peep of red hair anywhere; it was unusual for the Weasley house hold to be quiet.

"Where did your family go," Hermione whispered the question to Ginny.

Ginny stood in shock, "I have no idea, but could it be an after Christmas miracle?" Ginny said, but Hermione was quick to shoot her a look and elbow her side. Ginny teased her family relentlessly, but Hermione knew that deep down Ginny wouldn't have it any other way.

"Oh, you're here girls! You're early. The boys are off preparing, so it's just us," Molly said rounding the corner. Hermione smiled and greeted the witch happily; hugging her tight. Molly greeted them both and situated them inside of her small kitchen. Hermione was at the table peeling potatoes while Ginny was set up to cut up vegetables for the stew.

"Mum, Hermione here has just found out about Beltane and she had a few questions," Ginny smiled while Hermione concentrated on her potato peeling. She was always embarrassed to ask people things, she was called _the brightest witch of her age_ and she felt the need to prove it twenty-four seven.

"Of course, dear, what do you need help with?" Molly asked cheerily as she started to knead dough for bread.

"I don't understand who this Goddess is or who the Horned God is," Hermione said as quietly as possible, her embarrassment was showing. "I've not read about them anywhere even when I've looked up things about Avalon and Beltane. It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense on how they influence our magic so much," Hermione finished.

"Well the goddess is the mother of everything, even the Horned God. She created him and his job in life is to take care of his people and protect the forest. He was the protector of his people and had a way of wooing women. He was chosen out of them all to impregnate the goddess herself. Most women who are trying to conceive choose this night to try. He's the leader of the hunt, a warrior: if you wish to call him that," Molly said and waved her stirring spoon around as if she was only talking with her hands.

Hermione took it all in and started to understand better; she felt a strange connection to the story. Every time they talked about it wasn't enough for her.

"What about the goddess though, why does she take him into her bed, and what of our magic?" Hermione asked.

"He has become a man and she is rewarding him, it's connected to our magic because Merlin wished it. He was a follower of the old religion and he grew fond of the high priestess at the time. Viviane, she and him could have ruled the world but instead they kept it in balance for the mother goddess. We worship her on this night to unify ourselves with her and the old religion and in return we are granted the gift of magic," Molly smiled and sat down with the girls and let the pots simmer. Hermione understood slightly better than she had before but she made a mental note to talk to Narcissa.

"So we honor her and she lets us use our magic. That makes sense and we celebrate it by doing what she does every Beltane as a symbol of our loyalty," she tested out.

Molly nodded her head with approval, "there you go. Not so hard to understand, now is it?" she laughed. Hermione nodded her head and finished up the rest of the potatoes.

"I think it's lovely, we get to celebrate something new now and as adults. After the children go to bed is when the real party starts," Ginny smirked at Hermione.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley, there will be no crude talk in this household," Molly snapped at her daughter who just snickered.

"Who's being crude mum? It's not us is it?" George asked and walked into the kitchen. Fred was close behind him. Hermione waved at them and soon Ron and Harry had joined them all in the small kitchen as well.

"Your sister here is explaining some things about Beltane dears, she just doesn't realize how improper her meanings are," Molly shot a glare at her daughter and Hermione laughed.

"Ah Beltane, do you remember George, how lovely that was? The hunt was spectacular that year," Fred laughed and pushed his brother.

"Oh it was wonderful; it's a shame that it wasn't good this year. You barely got your set of horns little brother. Harry here did better than you and he didn't even grow up with it!" Exclaimed Fred and Hermione watched them prod and tease Ron.

"It was a bad season" He muttered under his breath.

"Harry did you really do good? Oh I'm so proud darling. Ronald you will be fine, no one will know it's you anyway except the men and you can handle some light teasing. Now out with all of you. I have a lot more cooking to do!" Molly ushered them all out of her kitchen.

Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him towards the stairs, "Come on you guys, we'll have a bit of a talk in my old room," she told Ron and Hermione and they followed her up the steps too her old room. It was still how it used to be and they settled on the ground next to her bed with a small table between them.

"So what are these horns for?" Ginny asked when they settled in. She radiated with excitement, Hermione thought it must be because this was something that they looked forward too. It was something that was like the muggle-equivalent of getting a driver's license or prom.

"Well, we can't say much but it's to symbolize that horned god guy," Ron groaned when Harry spoke, "Ron's just a bit upset because the stag that he hunted had small horns and it was the only one he could get," Harry chuckled and nudged his friend. Hermione felt a bit of sympathy for her friend but pushed it away after thinking of what he had said yesterday.

"So you wear horns on your head?" Hermione asked, it was a bit of a disgusting thought that they would have to wear a dead animal's horns on their head.

"We wear the skull in parts actually, Dad took us out this year and that was our mask and what we wear to Beltane at night. It's pretty old fashioned clothing that we're supposed to wear but it's about going back to your roots. We wear the animal skins as pants and make our mask out of the skull and horns. It's magically charmed to stay on and stay up right," Ron explained and reached under Ginny's bed and pulled out his deer skull.

"What is that doing under my bed!" she yelled.

"I was embarrassed and it kept looking at me," he admitted, "but it's magically charmed to feel like nothing, some blokes have huge antlers. You should have seen some of them," Ron sighed.

"Mine are pretty big," Harry teased and it made Hermione snort.

"Oh leave him alone, he's going to have to explain to his maiden why his horns are so tiny anyways," Hermione ribbed and lay down on her stomach.

"Oi, I resent that. What are you girls supposed to do anyway, it seems like you have no work to do. We've been preparing ever since last year," Ron asked.

Ginny looked over at Hermione and Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "We make dresses and we have a lot of potions to brew if you must know. Don't forget we're the ones who go daisy picking and make most of the wine and food," Ginny pointed out.

"Is Mrs. Malfoy helping you," Harry asked.

"Yeah, she said that she would step in for me since she doesn't have a daughter of her own. It was really sweet and she said she would explain things better tomorrow. She wants me to be involved with all of the setting up as well so I can really get a firm grasp on what it means," Hermione said excitedly. It was the first time she heard herself sound excited for this.

"That's wonderful! I'm glad she's helping, even if it is Malfoys mum. I've seen him and his dad on the hunting grounds. He's like a drill sergeant, I'm glad Arthur is pretty lenient with us," Harry laughed and Ron nodded along.

"Oh, maybe dad needs to be stricter with you both. I'll be sure to let him know," Ginny responded.

"No way, you should see the things that Malfoy has to do. His father makes him do running exercises through the forest and they practice archery almost every day I hear. He also makes him run around shoeless through the forest and sets up traps for him. He's bloody mad if you ask me," Ron scowled.

"You do realize that everyone is bare foot for this so he's toughening up his feet, you might want to try that," Ginny laughed at her brother.

"Narcissa just like's to have traditions, she was really excited about this one. It's nothing bad that they want to do things properly Ron," Hermione huffed.

"Yeah well as long as I don't have to do it then I'm fine," He replied.

"You don't like to do anything more than you have to though mate, you've got to admit that," Harry added in.

The group stayed like that for a while, the tension from earlier was fine and Hermione was able to laugh and joke around with her friends once again. She was excited by it all now and even as much as she was nervous; she became giddy with excitement when talking about it.

"Boys, Girls, it's time to come down! Hermione you have a letter here as well but the owl won't drop it!" Molly called up from the bottom of the steps. Everyone sprinted to the doors and they sounded like a herd of elephants running down the steps.

"A letter?" Hermione questioned and looked around for the owl.

"Yes dear, he's in the kitchen. Run a long and come straight back we don't want dinner to get cold and the twins actually washed their hands this time," Molly smiled and pushed her towards the kitchen. Hermione went inside and saw Bubo Bubo standing the window sill. The letter was tight in his mouth and if Hermione wasn't crazy she would have thought the owl looked relieved to see her.

"Oh come here Bubo," she said softly and coaxed the owl inside. He flew to her instantly and dropped the letter in her hand, staying on her arm.

She opened it gently as the owl made its way up to her shoulder, as if he wanted to read it over her shoulder.

_Granger, _

_Mother has requested that I tell you our floo will be open tomorrow morning at eight sharp. You should feel free to come then but if you want to sleep in you can come later but no later than ten. Something about the holiday, it needs preparation. Granger, she's excited, more so than I've seen these past couple of years and I'd hate to see her disappointed. If you tell anyone that I actually suggested you come here I'll deny it. _

_D.M_

"Well your owner was very nice, here let me get you some owl treats Bubo," Hermione baby talked the owl and quickly gave him his treats and sent him on his way. She shoved the letter into her purse and went back out to the dinner table: all eyes on here.

"Is everything alright dear?" Molly asked.

"Yes, It was just from the Malfoys, Narcissa is expecting me tomorrow," Hermione said politely and took her seat next to Ginny and Harry.

"How are they Hermione? I haven't seen Lucius at the Ministry for quite some time." Arthur asked cordially. There was no mistake that Arthur and Lucius butted heads on everything considering that Arthur was fascinated with muggles. Hermione believed that Arthur always had the better head on his shoulders and would be cordial unless provoked unlike his sons who got their temperament from Molly.

"He's doing well I hear, him and Malfoy are running their company together and I hear that they are very busy. I know his work as a curse breaker is still important though. The minister must have given him some time off," she replied and started to put food on her plate. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she started to eat some of the turkey that Molly had cooked.

Ron snorted at that ", yeah probably permanently," he laughed then shut up when Hermione shot him a warning glare.

Molly quickly intervened, "so dear, will you be needing anything, a mentor maybe for Beltane?" Molly asked quickly.

"Oh no, Narcissa has asked to be the stand in matriarch for me, but thank you for asking. I know she doesn't have any daughter and I think it would be great for both of us," Hermione smiled and took a sip of the butterbeer she got.

"Oh, Narcissa got to you first I see, shame. I will still help of course—anything that you need dear, you can always ask me," Molly threw in, and Hermione could feel part of her anger because her husband and Lucius disliked each other. She and Narcissa disliked each other as well and maybe Molly more than Narcissa from what Hermione had gathered.

"I appreciate that—"

_Aroo_

Hermione's head snapped towards the window when the noise happened again, a wolf had never been close to the burrow before. "—what was that?" She asked.

_Aroo_

"Love we need to cut this short, boys go get your gear and we need to be off," Arthur said shortly, and kissed Molly's cheek before walking out of the front door. Hermione got up and walked over towards the window and peeked out. The forest trees rustled and she saw some bushes shake, she could have sworn she saw a wolf patronus. She walked back and sat down on the bench. Harry and Ron had already left with Arthur and it was just the twins left.

"What was that all about?" Ginny questioned.

George and Fred shared a look before George spoke, "we have to go when the Goddess's pet calls, it means it's time to practice the hunt. She's sent targets out and it's our job to follow her commands. It's only for the month before Beltane. It's her hell hound: he's like her sign of saying she's friends with death essentially," George explained, and took a big bite of his food. Hermione was right, the Weasleys really could eat.

She watched as the family continued to dine together, and she wondered why she felt like an outside here. She had grown up here with them as well as befriended them. Molly approached her a few times about the subject of her and Ron during the dinner but Hermione laughed them off. She felt like a foreigner for the first time in a long time. It didn't sit well with her and after dinner she disapparated back to her flat without Ginny.

She just wanted to be home, but even the empty flat she didn't feel like home.

**/Thank you for the support! Thank you to the Reviewers and for those who PM'ed me and asked questions. **

**This is an AU; the war has not happened however there are some events that have still occurred because I believe no matter what some things are just meant to happen. Throughout the chapters she will be revealing more about school and things that happened. Also those who left me constructive criticism, thank you so much because I want to improve.**


	3. III

**Beltane Night**  
><em>III: Lore<em>

"Narcissa I don't know how you can stand there like you aren't freezing!" exclaimed Hermione. She had decided that instead of using the floo she would apparate near the house and walk. She realized now, and berated herself in her head, that it was a bad idea to want to walk through the snow. The idea had been romanticized because of her love of snow and the winter holidays.

The snow was melting through this month and she was getting less time to admire it, and now it had been reduced to puddles and mud. Narcissa was on the other side of the Malfoy gate, opening it up for Hermione.

"Years of practice dear, now do you see why I opened up the floo?" Narcissa chided. She opened up the large gates and Hermione stepped inside shivering. Hermione quickly took the arm of Narcissa and they both walked towards the house.

"I see, I'll have to listen to you more often," Hermione conceded.

"That's all I'm asking," Narcissa smirked.

They walked inside the house and Mitzi, the house elf, was already there to take Hermione's coat and gloves. The whole house was warm and welcoming compared to the last time she had been there. Narcissa had taken it upon herself to create a warmer environment than the previous Malfoy generation that lived there, although she kept it traditional to the outside press who could be lurking about.

"Missus would you like something?" Mitzi asked with a meek voice. Mitzi was by far the quietest house elf that Hermione had come across; she was demure and overly polite, even for a house elf. Hermione also found out that Mitzi loved to wear false eyelashes. Narcissa and Hermione had bought her enough pairs to last her two life times and more. Hermione didn't understand the draw to them but Mitzi claimed they made her feel beautiful, so that was reason enough for her.

The Malfoy men really didn't understand it and when Mitzi first came around Lucius made her cry, and Hermione had ended up yelling at him. She took the tea, that Mitzi brought, and dumped it into the fire; so Lucius was unable to enjoy a thing after that. When Draco openly laughed she hexed him off of his couch.

"If you could Mitzi, a cup of hot cocoa, please?" Hermione asked. She rubbed her hands together and placed them against her stomach for warmth. Narcissa only clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes at Hermione, amused at her mannerisms.

"Make that two Mitzi," Narcissa said, and motioned for Hermione to follow her towards her wing of the house. If there was one thing that Hermione admired about the Manor was how organized the house was; not to mention the sheer size of the library.

Hermione smiled and re-wrapped her scarf around her neck while following Narcissa towards her private wing. Hermione had been there quite a few times with the witch, it was where they were able to have absolute silence and girl time. Hermione had often found herself flooing to Narcissa's study there after a terrible day at Hogwarts, but only when she could not go see McGonagall. Minerva had allowed this only after having a long talk with the Lady Malfoy.

"What are we working on today, boss?" Hermione joked.

"Today we are going to be brewing a few potions, and I'm going to teach you what body oils and lotions that you will need to use. I'll keep everything here of course, since I'm going to try and persuade you to spend your Beltane month here," she replied cheekily. Hermione loved staying with Narcissa, but that would mean almost half a month of putting up with her husband and son. Although, she had done it before as a child and they were far worse then.

"We shall see, but what are these potions?" Hermione questioned as they started to walk past the family study. It was the one room in the house that held no wards and everyone was welcomed inside; much like the drawing room.

Lucius was inside with Draco, and they seemed to be arguing about something from where she stood. Draco picked up a deer skull from the table and clutched it in his hands, making Hermione gasp lightly; it caught their attention immediately. Narcissa stopped and turned around promptly to peer inside at what her boys were doing, and it resulted in her clicking her tongue again; it created a _tsk_ sound.

"Oh wow," Hermione blurted out without thinking. Draco became flustered and quickly put his deer skull down in surprise, but Lucius stepped over towards the door; effectively blocking him from view.

"Ladies, what a lovely surprise," He said politely. He smirked when he looked over Hermione and she felt her cheeks heat up.

"Yes, it is. Be good dear," Narcissa spoke lovingly towards her husband and caressed his cheek before walking away from the door of the study. Hermione still stood in shock, even after Lucius had shut the door to the study. She stared at the door for a few moments before bolting down the hall towards Narcissa who had kept her pace up.

"You were not supposed to see that, it's unfortunate, but it's nothing too terrible. The men are far more secretive about their rituals then us. Lucius has a strange way of showing approval," Narcissa mused, and pushed open the large doors to her wing of the house. Hermione stayed on her heels as they rounded the corner and towards her personal study.

"Showing approval?" Hermione questioned and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Yes, Draco has been one of the few men who have been taking this seriously and the fact that you seemed so entranced by the deer skull is approval. The fact that Lucius even acknowledged us was his way of saying that he's proud of Draco, and his accomplishment," Narcissa dismissed it with a wave of her hand and brought Hermione over to her vanity.

Hermione sat down lightly and stared at her own reflection. She had started to look her age the past couple of years and she was finally looking like a young woman. Narcissa stood behind her and clicked her fingers together; a few drawers opened and revealed her personal stock of hair brushes and glamour potions.

"Why did Mal—Draco, seem embarrassed then?" Hermione asked, his name feeling foreign on her tongue.

"He's a boy, I don't know why he does half of the things he does, but you were staring dear; quite blatantly at that. It's just considered slightly inappropriate before Beltane to see their mask, but don't fret because it's already forgotten," Narcissa told her gently, and started to apply a few glamour charms to Hermione's hair. She then picked up an older looking silver vanity brush and gently began to brush Hermione's hair. Hermione's head was still reeling from the fact that Lucius was playing '_my horse is bigger than yours'_ with no other competitor in sight.

Mitzi popped into the study with two hot chocolates and placed them down on Narcissa's stand that was next to the vanity. They thanked the little house elf and she apparted from the room after asking if they needed anything else.

"My mother used to do this or me when I was little," Hermione recalled fondly and watched Narcissa as she worked the brush through her hair. A small smile spread on her lips and she stopped her brushing for a moment before regaining her composure and Hermione felt her begin to brush again, it was untangling and softening her hair.

She pulled Hermione's hair back and played with it gently, Hermione saw her face deep in contemplation, "You know that I never had a daughter. I'd like to imagine though if she was alive—that she would be like—well like you," Narcissa whispered. Narcissa's hands squeezed Hermione's shoulders fondly.

"Thank you, I know that you're not, but if there was anyone who could help fill the void—it's you—it's been you," Hermione finished and beamed up at the woman. They acknowledged each other's losses. Narcissa had stray tears in her eyes and quickly wiped them away. She parted and played with Hermione's hair while trying to regain her composure. Hermione knew it was hard for her to only have one child. They had discussed it before, she worshiped her son and the ground he walked on and prayed for another child to give him a sibling. Every pregnancy after was a miscarriage and her heart couldn't bear it.

Hermione gently moved her hand up to Narcissa's and squeezed it; her hand trapped Narcissa's against her shoulder. Narcissa looked down and for a moment Hermione saw her inner-wall fall. She leaned down and hugged Hermione's head to her chest.

She barely saw Narcissa without the Lady Malfoy mask plastered on her face; even though she was genuine with Hermione, she had kept this façade of a woman up. The world thought of her as cold and unfeeling, but she knew better than everyone else. She had seen the woman love, cry, laugh, and feel every other human emotion through their time of being friends.

Hermione felt Narcissa's lips against her hair. "Cissa," Hermione breathed out.

"Oh, look at us! We're being silly; we have so much work to do. Your hair looks beautiful, don't you think?" Narcissa quickly said and pulled away from her. Hermione watched her smooth out her dress robes and fix up her hair nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. Hermione turned towards the mirror on the vanity and admired her own hair. She thought Narcissa was a magician when it came to hair; she was always able to calm Hermione's hair and make it look beautiful.

"You did it again, you're officially the hair tamer of the century," Hermione smiled at her and ran her fingers through her now silky curly hair.

She was amazed by Narcissa's talent, she was a fierce woman who went after what she wanted, and she admired her for that. She also played her part well for society and their standards for her. Hermione knew that Narcissa still held prejudice's towards Muggle-born people and even half-bloods. She had always wondered why Narcissa had chosen to talk to her that day as a child, much less invite her to shop with her.

It had been on Hermione's mind through the years, but she never dare ask. She had been witness to her vicious streak and prejudice's against half-bloods. She also knew of their strong dislike for what the family referred to as blood-traitors. However, in the presence of Hermione all of it was pushed aside and Narcissa never commented.

She knew of how her friend's felt about this, and Harry and Ron had coaxed Narcissa into a fight time and time again. Lucius had started fights with them on his own; even while they were only twelve year's old. Harry in retaliation once set their house elf, Dobby, free in their second year.

She had seen the distain that Narcissa had for those who were lower class, the Malfoy's only had the best. There was nothing that they couldn't afford and Cissa prided herself on having the best, and then being able to flaunt it. She was sophisticated and witty and loved fiercely but to the world she showed a hard cold mask that every Lady Malfoy would show.

~o~

_"Harry, I know you don't like her. I'm not asking you to—don't you think I know that they still hate Muggle-borns?" Hermione whispered fiercely to her twelve year old companion. _

_Harry and she were walking through the hallways, the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and now a monster was coming after all of the Muggle-borns in the school. Harry refused to let her walk anywhere a lone and she insisted on still doing research. _

_"I still believe Malfoy could be the Heir and you know it, He's called you a Mudblood! He and his father are no different than Voldemort himself with their ideas. I know you like Mrs. Malfoy, but come on—what if it's just a ruse," Harry insisted. _

_"If she wanted me gone she could have done that long ago, you don't know her like I do," Hermione defended. _

_They walked through the halls until Hermione stopped in her tracks. The Malfoy family was there talking to Draco. The sneer on his face was evident when he turned his head to see Hermione and Harry standing in the hall._

_"Well, isn't this a surprise," Lucius drawled. _

_"Yes, isn't it? Still terrorizing house elves?" Harry retorted. Hermione elbowed him slightly but she couldn't say much. Dobby was still under the Malfoy rule. She knew Harry had a plan to get him away but nothing could be done until they found out what was going on with the Chamber of Secrets. _

_"Yes, I'm making them do their job. Draco here tells me that there has been some commotion in the castle," Lucius hissed. Hermione quickly stood in front of Harry and cleared her throat. _

_"It seems the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and something in it is going after all Muggle-borns," Hermione replied coolly. _

_"Oh dear, I'm going to go speak to McGonagall. She cannot expect you to be walking around here," Narcissa stepped in. _

_"I'm fine Narcissa, I'm actually doing research. It would appear whoever opened it did not know how to keep their hands clean," Hermione replied. She kept her face up and was watching Lucius and Draco for any signs that they knew something and just as she had figured, nothing happened. _

_"Know anything about that Malfoy?" Harry asked the young boy. _

_"Why would I know anything about that Potter, just because you and your Mudblood are being targeted doesn't mean I did anything," Draco spat. _

_"Draco Lucius Malfoy," Narcissa scolded. _

_"No need to worry, this—Mudblood is going to find the Heir of Slytherin. They're going to be going to Azkaban to receive the kiss, so I'm sure the Dementors will be happy to have someone in their jail to terrorize," Hermione stated. _

_Narcissa looked at her with concern and Lucius just scowled. "Don't you think that is a bit too advanced dear?" Narcissa stated slowly. _

_"Mione here can do anything, She's the only reason that your" –Harry looked to Lucius and narrowed his eyes—"coward is dead now; he isn't coming back. She is the most advanced in magic here, and I hear she's even ahead of your son," Harry kept his eyes on Lucius the entire time. _

_"We have worked to do now, but It was a pleasure to see you again Cissa; I'll owl you later," Hermione smiled up at the older witch and took Harry by his cloak; she pulled him past the Malfoys and around the corner. _

_~o~_

_She couldn't move or see, though she could feel her eyes open. Warm hands engulfed her cold one, and Hermione could feel her arm out stretched but nothing heavy in it anymore. She wondered where her hand mirror was; those beastly yellow eyes staring at her. _

_"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this happened. I know who did it and I can't stop it. You don't deserve this. I'll try: oh, I'll try harder," she heard a small hoarse voice; it sounded like it was coming through a fog. _

_~o~_

_She was okay to move now, and the basilisk was defeated by Harry. Madam Pomfrey said she was going to be able to go to the ending ceremony, but unfortunately their ending tests were cancelled. She walked through the halls of the castle and when she arrived at the great hall she took a deep breath; she stood at the door and observed the hall._

_Whispers went through the great hall and finally she located Harry and Ron in the crowd of Gryffindors. She took off in a full sprint towards them and pulled Harry in her arms, hugging him tight. She was home. Hermione pulled away and went to hug Ron, but quickly she pulled away and stuck her hand out instead for him to shake. _

_"It's good to have you back," Ron mumbled. _

_"It's good to be back," she smiled and looked around the room. Malfoy was smirking at her, and he tipped his head slightly before she turned her whole body and sat down in her seat. She knew it was his mother who had stayed at night in her hospital room. _

_~o~_

Narcissa Malfoy's presence commanded respect and her last name struck fear into wizard's and witch's hearts. Although, behind closed doors, she used to play with her child on the floor in the ballroom and bake at her leisure. She baked cakes and any other pastry that she found a recipe for; she once made Hermione's birthday cake. She couldn't cook a proper meal to save her life but she could out bake even the best in England.

She had quirks, like any other person, that Hermione noticed right away. She would never eat before her husband and on days that it rained she would clutch the locket that was around her neck tighter than anything else. The locket stayed inside of her dress robes and only was placed on top during special occasions.

"Now, before we get brewing, what questions do you have? I know you were at the Weasleys yesterday and I find myself believing that they most likely gave you the wrong information at some point," Narcissa scoffed and sat down on a stool near the vanity.

Hermione scrunched up her face thinking, there wasn't anything that she really needed to know exact she didn't understand the history of the Goddess. "I don't understand Avalon or this whole Mother Goddess thing," Hermione admitted.

"I figured. Now, long ago we, as a people, were related to Avalon. Merlin being one of the first few wizards and he was partners with Viviane. Are you familiar with the Arthurian legend?" Narcissa questioned before she went any further.

"Yes, It's actually my favorite," Hermione confessed.

"Well, then you should be aware of Avalon because that's where Excalibur came from or…" Narcissa smirked and waited for Hermione's face to change into a knowing realization.

Hermione spoke slowly, "the sword of Gryffindor, it comes to us who are in need; that makes no sense though. The sword of Gryffindor was made from the Goblin King only a thousand years ago, but King Arthur—"

Narcissa finished for her, "—died around the early 500's and the sword went back to Avalon. The material was given to the Goblin King as a sign of good faith and the Lady of the Lake knew that Godric Gryffindor was looking to have a sword made. The fact that your friend—Mr. _Potter, _used it to kill a Basilisk only made it stronger," Narcissa said slowly.

"That's why it appears to people in need, and only a true Gryffindor may hold the sword. It's just like Arthur being the only one to hold Excalibur," Hermione said slowly. Everything was slowly coming together for her.

"No one told you that bit, but I'd imagine that they would all be so proud that Gryffindor has the sword that was given to Arthur by Merlin and Avalon. Instead, it seems to be buried under all of that so called courage. Now, the Mother Goddess is much like the Muggle Mother Nature, or at least that's what _Muggles_ now call her. She is the reason everything exists on this earth, but they replaced her with that Christian god; it's quite distasteful if you ask me. However, she has shown her face as the Mother Mary in that religion. We will never be without her in any religion because she simply takes different forms and adapt," Narcissa replied.

"She's responsible for everything, so she's the original god. If she's so powerful why not just show that she is the only goddess?" Hermione questioned.

"Good question, but she is not all powerful; she does have some power though. She is not here to be a god but to keep everything in balance. She balances good and evil, death and rebirth. She is known to be associated with the predator and the prey; wolf and stag, respectively. Without her we would be desensitized to the chaos that would ensue," Narcissa smiled and crossed her legs elegantly.

"She's not here to play god but to make sure our lives are balanced, so that one thing does not happen more than the other. She's friends with both life and death and what about the Lady of the Lake?" Hermione was now fascinated by this; learning was truly her calling. Something she had once been so familiar with, learning about King Arthur, was now part of her actual life.

"There is still a lady of the lake; she's High Priestess of Avalon and she will be at the party to oversee the new initiates. She normally comes around every five years or so, but just to make sure things are kept her way; her ward comes every year.

"Now, the Horned God is her lover and he proves himself to be a worthy man. The Goddess taking him to her bed doesn't make him a man, but what he does before that is what proves his masculinity. It is not some reward that he gets to lay with her, but a privilege," Narcissa said the last part curtly.

Hermione had moved her body so that she was now facing Narcissa fully and was leaning towards her. Her elbows resting on her knee's as she kept her head in the palms of her hands. "Our magic comes from Merlin and Avalon, so we celebrate its creator?" Hermione asked.

"Our magic is the product of Merlin's love for a woman. She died in his arms out on the lake and because of the magic that had been sitting in her blood, their love activated it, she became the first Lady of the Lake and the Goddess formed Avalon. As a result, the first lady of Avalon, his lover, gave Merlin the gift of magic and to repay the Lady of Avalon, we celebrate," Narcissa concluded and smiled. Hermione was fascinated and her eyes were wide.

"That's beautiful; oh my…"Hermione now understood why Harry had his scar on his forehead. His mother's love for him, it was something stronger than Voldemort could ever know. She feared him coming back, but she knew that love could win anything. After all, it was the creator of all magic. She went quiet for a few moments and let her mind drift to everything.

Love was the reason Harry said he was able to get away from death eaters in their fourth year. He had gone into the triwizard tournament. They wanted his blood to bring back Voldemort but his quick escape due to his parent's souls coming back, or so he claimed, but now she knew the truth. They had given their love even in death.

It made more sense to her why the death eaters wanted his blood now, and how he had been escaping from them at every turn. In her heart she feared that love may never be enough to keep him safe for long, especially now that the Death Eaters had been without their leader for so long.

"What is the garment that I'm supposed to wear?" Hermione asked Narcissa.

"Oh, that? It's more of a bonding between a parent and child, and for women I am to make you a morning and night dress. It's something to show our connection and bond. You then wear it every year after, it shows your roots and where you come from. Many do not hand make the morning dress like they used to but we're Malfoys, and as far as I am concerned you're under my Matriarchy for this, so you shall dress like one," Narcissa said.

"Oh, well I guess that make sense then," Hermione said and shifted in her seat.

"As soon as I get your measurements when we get the material you'll see it'll all work out nicely," Narcissa said before promptly standing up and calling for Mitzi. Hermione then turned and looked at herself again in the mirror again to admire her hair. She also admired the brush that Narcissa had, it was silver and vintage; it was beautiful.

With a pop the elf had come back into the room with a large table with a few cauldrons and all off the ingredients. Hermione stood up and walked over to the table; she started to sort through the ingredients.

"Now, I'm going to show you how to brew this and what the ingredients are used for," Narcissa said and rolled up her sleeves before pulling one of the taller cauldrons over to her side.

"Hand me the Dragon's blood; that's just a combining agent and a base. Along with the rose water please, that is to keep it smelling lovely and it's just darling to bathe in," Narcissa said and held out her hand. Hermione handed her both ingredients and watched as they went into the cauldron.

"Do we really have to put in ashwinder eggs? That's an ingredient to Amortentia?" Hermione said concerned.

"It only gives off an amazing aroma, dear; I assure you that no one will fall in false love with you. It gives you amazing skin though and a lovely glow. You would look radiant with a bit of it in this potion," Narcissa promised.

"Alright," Hermione trusted her and hesitantly handed over two ashwinder eggs. She watched as Narcissa dropped the two frozen eggs inside the cauldron and it started to turn from a violent red to an orange. It almost looked as if it had caught fire.

"Hand the powdered moonstone and unicorn tears please. The moonstone is for the powers that moon has over magic and the unicorn tears for purity. They're normally associated with virgins and your skin is fairly pale so it'll give a little colour to your cheeks," Narcissa commented and sprinkled in the moonstone and put in two drops of unicorn tears.

"How long does this have to brew?" Hermione questioned. She had never heard about this specific potion in a textbook, but then again she assumed it was part of the unwritten rule not to document anything.

"Only a week, so it'll be done before Beltane. However the longer we let it sit the more effective it is, this is just to attract your stag. It only will affect one man there. Most women, at least women who know what they are doing, will be wearing this and it will only affect one man. He's your destined Beltane stag. They will even be attracted to you during the day time, but are not allowed to show more interest in you until after the masks are on at night fall," Narcissa revealed.

"Oh, wow, so they can't even go 'I like your perfume' then," Hermione thought that the whole holiday was so elaborate.

"Precisely, it's supposed to be secretive. We have been allowed to evolve past that past by no masks during the day, but we have to have more composure. You'll learn to like it, but now it's time for the Lavender flowers. This is symbolizing your devotion to the Goddess and your stag's new devotion to you. Oh, and grab the peppermint. Your skin will feel fresher with it," Narcissa said motioning towards the two containers in front of her. Hermione lifted them up and examined them before she gave the lavender flower container to Narcissa, and then she smelled the peppermint one experimentally.

"Are you sure you are not in the beauty industry?" Hermione teased.

"I am sure. Lastly the rose petals and morning dew," Narcissa gave the rose petals to Hermione and put one drop of morning dew in.

"How many do I put in?" Hermione asked.

"Nine of them," Hermione heard and she dropped a rose petal one at a time until all nine were inside. The potion started to swirl on its own and she watched as it changed from a bright pink to a Slytherin Green and then Gryffindor Red and settled there, bubbling occasionally.

"Perfect!" Narcissa cried and stirred it a few times before putting the lid on top of it to allow it to simmer.

"So we let it simmer and merry for a week," Hermione stated and stretched. She never would have thought learning something would become so tiring.

Narcissa took Hermione's hand and pulled her over to the couch that was in her study and cleared her throat, "Now dear, I know this is a tradition for pure-bloods for their coming of age, normally they are virgins. May I ask if you are?" Narcissa asked delicately.

Hermione's face heated up and she nodded her head, "Ginny and I talked about this. I'm aware of what it is," Hermione said quickly. She didn't know how she felt about talking about _that _with her. They were close but they had never had a conversation like that. When she went through puberty she had Narcissa and McGonagall's help with things but they didn't speak of that. She couldn't believe that she was talking to Draco Malfoy's mum about her virginity status.

"Good, that's good you have someone to talk to. Now you know if you have any questions about this, you can ask me. I know you're old enough though to know things, I may be older, but I remember when I was your age," she laughed lightly. Her laugh was like small bells to Hermione. "Are you comfortable going through with this tradition?" Narcissa questioned.

Hermione sat there for a few moments, was she really okay? "Hogwarts has always been my home, and I never felt at home in the muggle world. I was different and I was an outcast. I don't want to be an outcast here. I want to do things that I would have done if I was born here. This is my home, and these are my people; this is my tradition now," She said decidedly and she meant it. She felt that meaning to the core of her bones even.

"Then it's settled. We should go grab the boys for dinner. I'm sure they're famished and Lucius is probably driving Draco mad with training in the rain," Narcissa laughed and they both walked through the manor; out towards the gardens. How Narcissa had managed to keep her gardens spotless was beyond Hermione. Narcissa didn't use magic to maintain them or gardeners; she told Hermione she felt it relaxed her and did them all by hand.

The women stood in the doorway of the sunroom, it lead off of the porch to the Malfoy's back yard where the men were practicing. Lucius was having Malfoy practice in the rain, his bow never faltered and she watched him hit his target three times. It was a bull's-eye all three times and she felt uncomfortable invading their privacy.

"Boys! It's time to come in for dinner, Mitzi and the others are making your favorite Lucius, so give your son a break," Narcissa called out through the doorway. Both of them dropped their weapons and straightened up before walking into the house. They dragged mud and the dampness through the sun room; Hermione stifled a laugh when Narcissa smacked them both on the arms.

"What now, Cissa? Did you expect a drying spell out in the rain?" Lucius quipped.

"No, but you could have manners not to come all the way in. Now our carpet is dirty," She clicked her tongue and Hermione watched her stare at the floor in concentration.

"Mother, its fine because we do have help, or has Granger here persuaded you otherwise?" Malfoy asked. He performed a quick drying spell and Hermione rolled her eyes at him; he was still a stubborn prat.

"I know we have house elves, but still it was an antique and I don't know if magic can even get out some of these stains," she chided and kissed her son's head before shooing both her husband and son towards the small table in the sun room. It was just big enough for five or so people. Narcissa and Hermione often took tea in the sunroom when no one was home and they had no place to be, she would have the house elves open the windows and the breeze would come in with the fresh smell of flowers. They all sat down, but Hermione begrudgingly had to sit next to Draco.

"Now, how have things been going my love?" Narcissa directed the conversation to Draco while the house elves started to serve dinner. Hermione lowly whispered a small thank you to each of them which made all of them smile and reply with a pipsqueak _'you're welcome'_. It made her smile and she listened in on the Malfoy's conversations like she always did.

She rarely had anything to contribute, but they mostly talked about their social elite group. She did always get the gossip that Narcissa and Lucius had to share, but that never was anything she would normally bother with. Most of the times she would end up going home to tell Ginny all about it so they could make fun of the social elite on their own terms.

"So Ms. Granger, do you have any traditions such as Beltane in the—Muggle culture?" He questioned lightly. She took a quick sip of her tea and put it down then looked at the other two Malfoys. Draco looked utterly bored and Narcissa was more than interested like always.

"Oh, well I guess you could relate it to Muggle prom in um— some aspects. Muggles get all dressed up and they go dancing to celebrate the end of their schooling—it's a lot like the Yule Ball. Then they normally have certain traditions, but instead of the woods; it's the car," Hermione bit her lip and quickly took a sip of her tea again.

"The car? How atrocious, who would even…" Narcissa said appalled. Draco was laughing and had to put down his drink at his mother's reaction, Hermione didn't know if he was choking or laughing.

"What do you mean Cissa, if I do recall during Hogwarts there were certain wonderful things that happened in carriages…" Lucius said.

"Lucius don't bring that up during dinner," Narcissa hissed.

"Okay, no more talking about your love life, some of us _are_ eating," Draco groaned and covered his face with one hand.

"I think it's lovely that your parent's are still very much in love. Many aren't so fortunate to have found a friend that they can still feel the same thing with," Hermione replied. She genuinely believed that it was sweet despite the fact that Lucius was about as cuddly as a venomous snake.

"See, you're lucky Draco," Narcissa insisted, "Now it's like this Muggle prom you say?"

Hermione nodded her head and wiped her mouth, "well yes, I mean the whole thing caught me off guard, I've never read about it anywhere."

"You always had your nose in a book so that surprises me Granger, I'm sure there are plenty of them out there, that refer to the holiday. You always had your nose in a book, and I swear if it wasn't for you reading the potions books in advance and actually knowing what you were doing you would have given Snape a heart attack," Malfoy commented.

"I did not always have my nose in a book thank you very much, I was just always busy, you don't understand how hard it is to always be the one who thinks of the plans and get their homework done on time," Hermione said.

"No, I strictly remember you always being in the library when you weren't with Potter and Weaslebee. You would go into the corner of the room and make some nest like thing filled with just you and books, and then sit there for hours doing your homework," Malfoy told her. Hermione's eyebrows rose and shock overcame her face.

"You remember what I did in the library?" Hermione didn't have an argumentative tone now but rather one with fascination.

Malfoy looked flustered for a moment and glared at her quickly, "you called me beautiful, were even," he said coolly and looked away from her.

"You two bicker more than your father and I do Draco," Narcissa sighed.

"We don't bicker," both of them said at the same time.

"Cissa, when do they not? It's best to ignore them or get ear plugs. I'm not sure why we should have to listen to them arguing over nothing," Lucius drawled.

"Well get used to it, because I'm making Hermione stay here until Beltane is over. She should have all of the experiences of the other girls," Narcissa said with authority.

"Is that so?" Lucius looked over at his wife quickly. Hermione didn't know if she wanted to stay here because she would end up fighting with Draco every day, and even though Lucius was now cordial with her they still got into small fights.

"Yes, she is; right dear?" Narcissa cocked one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows and looked at Hermione for confirmation.

"If it pleases you Cissa," She mumbled.

"I cannot hear you," Narcissa smiled.

"If it pleases you," Hermione said louder and fiddled with her scarf that hung loosely around her neck. She was going to be in for a long few weeks.

"Wonderful, absolutely wonderful," Draco said sarcastically.

"You know, you two should be more appreciative of this circumstance. How many can say that they are able to help with Beltane? Even if it means you two are in the same house. You know Lucius and I conceived Draco on Beltane, so it may be why he's so emotional sometimes; he's my sweet merry-begot," she smiled at him and reached over the table to flip some of his hair from his eyes.

"That is way more than I needed to know, ever," Draco shuddered.

"Yes, he is rather emotional," Hermione teased, "what is a merry-begot?" Hermione asked.

"It means a child of the gods, it's a term for all children who are conceived during Beltane," Lucius answered her this time.

"There you go Granger, you always think I'm so pompous but really it's true. I'm the Goddess's gift to the world," he smirked.

"You may be a child of the gods but you're still a pompous arse," Hermione smiled.

"—and now you're the know-it-all who doesn't know it all," Draco replied.

"After this I will still know it all because now I know about Beltane, and any other lame come backs you'd like to come up with? I'm supposed to be in bed at a certain time, but I can open up my schedule," Hermione replied with the smile still on her face.

If there was one thing she didn't miss, was having to deal with him for most of the day. Although, she did enjoy arguing with him to a point; she couldn't ever argue with Harry or Ron the way she could with Malfoy. He was intelligent, second in the class to her, and it kept her on her toes and helped her grow because it forced her to improve her argument.

"Enough you two, it's like reprimanding children," Lucius said massaging his temple.

Hermione smirked and stuck her tongue out at Draco who sat up in his chair in shock and motioned to his mother and father.

"Didn't see a thing," Narcissa teased.

"So you two met during Beltane?" Hermione asked; changing the subject.

"We had an arranged marriage, but we knew each other during Hogwarts and we were not each other's biggest fans. I was dealing with my sister's marriage to Rudolphus and her—well her erratic behavior and Lucius was quick to remind me it was not my place because of our blood status. Family meant and mean's everything to me so I actually hexed him. Our years at Hogwarts weren't as spectacular after that knowing that we would have to get married. Although, we did have a few run-ins at the um," Narcissa this time blushed and Hermione thought it was sweet.

"The dances, and then during Beltane we found each other through the crowd and as they say the rest is history," Lucius smirked and Narcissa leaned over to kiss her husband's cheek. Hermione saw their hands intertwine with each other's on the table.

"Are the Weasley's story like yours," Hermione asked fascinated.

"Oh, this is a story," Lucius chuckled.

"Oh, well let's all retire to the drawing room. It really is a story, and one that we are not allowed to share lightly," Narcissa grimaced and stood up from her seat. Draco only groaned and got up with everyone else who walked the short distance to the drawing room.

Hermione sat on the love seat in the room while Lucius sat at his chair near the fire, his two hound's one on either side. They were guard dogs of the Manor; Narcissa told me that he named them Brutus and Creaser. They only answered to him and rarely took a second glance at anyone else. Draco took up residence on the couch and Narcissa sat near her husband.

"Now, the Weasley's are, as much as it pains me to say it, a pure blood family. She and Arthur met during their years at Hogwarts and they did fall in love. They were then arranged to be married, you see Arthur's mother was a Black so unfortunately they are distant, very distant, relatives. Much like your lovely Potter," Narcissa spoke calmly.

"You make it seem that it was so bad," Hermione laughed.

"They did not end up together on Beltane night, their eldest Bill is a merry-begot. They both knew of it and married quickly right after, so no one would question them. No one speaks of it and he has inherited the Weasley red hair so no one suspected. However he has not shown up on our tree, indicating he has no black blood flowing through him. We do not speak of it, out of common courtesy though," Narcissa said quickly.

"Oh, do the others know?" Hermione didn't know what to make of that, that seemed horrible to know that one of your children are not yours.

"No, and it must remain that way. Bill himself does not know that Arthur is not really his father," Narcissa told her calmly.

"At least they love each other; they are good people, as much as I know you aren't fond of them. They're all good people and I'm glad that even you won't berate them for that. Thank you," Hermione said slowly.

"We may not like them but it is impolite," Lucius replied. He was swirling firewhiskey in his jar. Hermione loved the Weasley's like her own family, she may not like Molly's match making skills but she was like her own mother.

After Arthur was attacked fifth year she was frantic to make sure he was okay and they had spent Christmas together with him along with his birthday. Arthur got better as the weeks went on and Percy was nothing but a prat the whole time. He had been guarding the hall of prophecy's to which they battled at later.

She remembered seeing Lucius there and he had been disarmed by Sirius and then Bellatrix had killed Harry's godfather. Hermione had run after Harry when he went after Bellatrix. It was the first time she saw Harry use an unforgiveable, but soon he was on the ground himself withering in pain yelling about Voldemort. Bellatrix had gotten away with nothing but a scratch.

_Aroo_

Hermione looked around at the sound and both of the Malfoy men groaned together, Lucius got up slowly while Draco stayed on the couch but sat up.

"Time to go," Lucius grabbed Draco by the back of his shirt and dragged him out of the room; Draco was complaining the entire time that he shouldn't be man handling him like that.

Lucius turned around and closed the drawing room doors slowly, "time for the hunt," He said cryptically and slammed the doors shut, the candles in the room flickering and lightening striking the house.

Narcissa and Hermione shared a look, both confused.

"Boys," Narcissa stated simply.

Narcissa then retired for the night and left Hermione free to use their library; she often stayed most of her nights there and always woke up with a blanket and a book on top of her. They didn't mind and she didn't seem to mind sleeping in the old chair that they kept in there.

She needed to read up on Avalon and quench her thirst for knowledge.

**/thank you for all of your reviews and support for this story. **

**I'd like to take this time to let you all know this is an AU, I am totally altering everything. The Battle at Hogwarts has not happened. From Goblet of Fire on things are really completely different almost. **

**Yes Lucius is still a prat and they all have some blood prejudices. However The Malfoy's only have the best and if they are associating with a muggle-born. Hermione is the best of the best, and I'll be explaining why on earth Narcissa decided to be-friend the little 11 year old Hermione. **

**Everything's being intertwined and it's bringing up the past as we go on with the story. So you get what's happening currently and what happened previously. I've been thinking of making a companion piece to this just to explain what happened from their first year at Hogwarts to the last but then it would give away too much of this plot. **

**On that note, some things will still happen. Maybe it's not how it happened in the books but I believe certain deaths and births and such are just inevitable, it's kind of like when they show an Alternative Universe and shit goes down anyway but just in a different light. The end result is still the same but the journey there is different. **

**K  
>xxx<strong>


	4. IV

**Beltane Night**  
>IV: Song of Brotherhood [Draco]<p>

The leaves crinkled and cracked under his bare feet. His Italian leather loafers were thrown aside at the beginning edge of the forest. His steps were light on the cold hard forest floor, as he climbed over fallen trees and hid under the brush. Lucius had pushed Draco harder the past few weeks, due to the increased hours that the goddess had made them hunt.

He was one of the few pureblood families, in that part of the country that prided themselves on keeping their old ways alive. Most had forgotten what it truly meant to celebrate and give thanks on Beltane night. It had begun to slowly become a meaningless holiday to the masses, yet they still celebrated it.

Draco was almost prepared for anything that Beltane might have in store for him. He ran through the trees, graceful as a deer despite the hard branches prodding and scraping his skin. They left his once unmarred skin now tainted with violent red marks.

His feet had begun hardening, calloused over, and helping him not wince as a twig suddenly snapped under his weight. The remaining shards pressing against his flesh. The goddess sent out fake stags for every young eligible man to run after, in hopes to train them for a real hunt. She would make warriors out of even the most untalented boy.

Draco's thoughts drifted as he moved swiftly through the forest. They wandered to what it really meant, this training, and how his body had begun adjusting. His body had adjusted to the elements, hardening to the outside world—what it meant to be a real Malfoy man.

"I don't see you concentrating," his father hissed in his ear.

Draco flinched, irritated with himself "I am," he defended. He held the bow tighter against him. He was on a hunt for a stag that looked like a patronus, the light blue colour couldn't be missed against the contrasting night sky. Draco had proved himself each time, shooting the stag and watching it disappear into the night sky. The times had changed though, so this was one of the only skills he was forced to learn, unlike when they were forced to learn to make shelter and survive outside.

His wand was still tucked snuggly into the loop of his pants, keeping it securely to his waist. Draco was allowed to keep it on him for other uses, but was not to use it to aid himself in capturing the stag. It was the same for every young man who was coming of age, they had to prove to the goddess that they were worthy of her love and acceptance.

Beltane is a rite of passage for every young witch and wizard. It had been instilled in most pureblood's head since childhood. After a certain age they are no longer allowed to join the festivities and celebrate Beltane by themselves inside their houses, leaving the older adults to consummate the relationship between The Horned God and The Goddess. Seeing the opposite sex the day of Beltane would bring bad luck upon both parties. Draco could remember how he sat at his window and watched the festivities until his mother would darken his room so he could not look out. Instead the house elves looking after him.

Only when he was of age to know about such things, his father finally explained what Beltane Night truly meant and the carnal acts that happened. It was a dark cloud the hung above his head through Hogwarts, while the half-bloods and muggle-borns weren't concerned with the matter. Their relationships with those around them didn't matter, because Beltane would smash everything they knew to pieces.

He had stayed a virgin until Beltane, though how he received some of the remarks and comments from the girls who gossiped, he did not know. He let the gossip continue and never shot it down, letting it grow until he was known as one of the few purebloods who broke tradition. He simply assumed it was the girls he had been interested in trying to prove to the other that he liked them much better.

Granger was then brought into his life more after their graduation; he thought he would get rid of her meddling ways. He had appeased his mother during their last few years of school by calling it a truce between them. There was still no real foundation for a friendship, but they ignored each other all the same.

It suited him just fine that they ignored each other, because she was infuriating to him in more ways than he could have imagined. She would argue with him until she was blue in the face and if she remembered, she would bring up arguments from the past just to prove a point she was right with the new information she possessed. She was a goody two shoes know-it-all and it made him angry.

Draco growled just thinking about their arguments, a silly Muggle-born invading his family and she fit right in with everything in his life. He couldn't remove her, because her place seemed to be right there.

"You're not. What's wrong with you?" Lucius stopped him and forced Draco to turn around. His silence aggravated his father more, "You're a Malfoy—act like one!" Lucius insisted.

Draco huffed and walked away from his father, stopping at one of the trees and leaning against it, "It's Mother!"

"How could your mother possibly displease you?" Lucius drawled.

"Why does she always parade around her little Mudblood? She's like," a perfect witch, "the most annoying and bothersome person to have around."

"You're troubled over Miss Granger?" Lucius asked exasperated.

"No! Not like that, I just don't understand why Mother always needs to bring her around—she just doesn't fit," lie, "I just don't see the appeal," Draco stressed. In a swift motion Lucius had hit Draco over the head with the quiver of arrows. "What was that for?" Draco demanded and moved away from his father. He rubbed his head and stared at Lucius, who had seemed to have lost his head.

"Your Mother sees a lot of Andromeda in her," he sighed. "She misses her sister; she may be a blood-traitor to the dark lord, but that is her family. Your mother has put up quite a fight about contacting her behind closed doors," Lucius spoke softly.

"I thought mother hated her?" Draco questioned.

"Your mother says a lot of things in public that she does not mean—we all do," Lucius concluded.

Draco knew his mother still had her own prejudices towards Muggles, as they all did. Everyone believed it was just about blood superiority, but their people had been killed and mistreated by muggles long ago. Now they were expected to share a world with them while they had been forced to create one of their own. Not long ago there were the Salem Witch burnings in America, and he believed that they would never be truly equal.

Muggles were selfish and wished for things to magically fix their problems, but couldn't actually believe in something so simple as magic. He truly believed his prejudices were right. He could only imagine how badly Granger's parents would have freaked out if they had been alive to see her become a witch.

He didn't wish terrible things on Granger, not like he used to, but there was something about having non-magic folk being invited into their world just irked him. This was where he grew up, this was his life, and he didn't' the world to be destroyed. Though he imagined that The Dark lord would like to destroy it all the same for his own will.

"I'll try harder," Draco gritted out.

"Or, you could just admit what your Mother already assumes," Lucius replied casually.

"She doesn't know anything," Draco quipped and picked up his bow from the ground; he took an arrow and locked it in securely to his bow. He began stalking through the forest, leaning forward and moving onto the balls of his feet. He watched the ground and sank down to touch the invisible tracks, to most eyes, but he now could track.

He followed the tracks as it led through the brush and went towards the right flank. He would out run it if he had to, but he preferred to just kill it to get it over with. He had been outside for far too long. Draco moved swiftly through the trees until he finally saw the stag; it was a patronus like state and had a light glow around it, lighting up the forest floor.

He pulled the string back on his bow, his aim true as he evened out his breathing. The deer twitched, its ears moving in sync with the other as its head lifted up high in the air; searching for the predator around it.

"Steady," he breathed out and dug his feet into the earth, steadying himself. The arrow pierced the air and soon flew straight through the deer's neck, the Patronus turning a light red and ghosting away in the wind. Nothing was left but a cloud of smoke lifting up through the trees and towards the moon.

"Malfoy!"

Draco's head snapped up, looking across the clearing towards the other edge of the forest. Harry Potter was standing near the edge cleaning his own dirty arrow on his dirty pant leg.

"Potter," Draco replied back.

"What brings you to this neck of the woods?" Potter questioned.

Draco held up his own arrow, "My stag brought me here and my father isn't far behind—where are your companions?" Draco questioned and then began to wipe his own arrow off on a small cloth that had been passed to him from his father. It had been in their family for generations, passed to every Malfoy male. It was a tradition and if Draco ever had a son, he would pass it down to his son.

"Arthur is waiting for Ron. He was just about to kill his stag when it bolted and he hit a tree," Potter said casually and put his arrow back inside its quiver. "Have you gotten the talk yet?" Potter laughed and placed his bow and quiver against a tree, leaning against it.

"I've received most of it, if not all of it if that's what you're asking. What I don't know I'm sure I'll just discover," Draco quipped.

"Arthur is trying out his new teaching methods this year, says it's his last time doing this. He wants to do it right and by the books," Potter shrugged.

"He may not tell you, because I don't think he wants you shagging Red," Draco smirked.

"Don't be so crude about Ginny, we both know Mione wouldn't like that—she'd hex your bollocks off," Potter snapped at him, "If I do anyway it's inevitable, I do plan on making her Mrs. Potter as soon as possible," he said.

"I don't quite know if I should off my congratulations or my condolences to Red. She'll be Mrs. The-boy-who-should-and-wouldn't-die. That's a big name to be carrying around," Draco mused.

"We'll I'm sure the next Mrs. Malfoy will be in for a treat carrying around that Title," Potter shot back.

They stood there at a standstill; there wasn't much to talk about besides insulting each other further. Draco stood proudly with perfect posture while Potter fidgeted with the strap of his quiver. They wouldn't look each other in the eyes, the unsaid topic of the upcoming war hung between them.

The bushes rustled and Lucius walked through with a scowl adorning his face; it was a permanent fixture when they ran into Harry Potter.

"Father," Draco acknowledged him.

"Draco…and hello Mr. Potter," Lucius answered coldly.

Harry glared and gritted his teeth, "Mr. Malfoy."

The brushes suddenly began to rustle on the other side, near Harry, and soon Ron and Arthur emerged from the brush and a new sneer deepened on Lucius's face.

Arthur looked between Harry and the Malfoys, "Well look at you Harry, finding new people. What a surprise to see you both here."

Draco immediately recognized his false tone and groaned silently. This was the last thing that he wanted to do with his time—spend it talking to Potter and the two Weasley's.

"Ah yes, how are you Arthur?" Lucius asked calmly.

"Doing well, yes, Hermione was on all about you and how you were doing just yesterday. She's very fierce isn't she?" Arthur laughed, causing Draco to glare at him. His instincts were to question Granger on what she talked about with the blood traitors.

"So, Miss Granger discusses our lives with you all?" Lucius questioned.

"No, just speaks in high regard for you all," Potter spoke up.

"No one knows why," Ron muttered.

Draco moved forward towards the taller Redhead, "My Mother adores your little Muggle-born and I'd go as far as to say that Granger likes my Mother just the same. I wouldn't say a fowl word in front of her if I were you," Draco threatened.

"We all know your Mum adores her, none of us know why," Ron said.

"Are you so severe on your own friend about her qualities or are you implying that my wife has no heart?" Lucius growled.

"Well now!" Arthur interrupted, "Maybe we should both be talking to the boys, after all there has to be some things we've both forgotten over the years," Arthur smiled and clapped his hands together. Lucius's frown deepened and his eyes narrowed at the small party.

"I'm sure my memory serves me just fine," Lucius enunciated.

"Father, maybe it would do some good. After all Mother has been trying to get us to be more social," Draco quickly said. He wanted to see the competition and what they knew compared to him and a few other purebloods he had met up with. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but a strong part of him also wanted to assess Granger's friends, Weaslebee especially, to see what they knew.

"If your Mother would have insisted," Lucius droned.

"Well now that is the spirit!" Arthur cheered and moved towards the boys and Draco who had taken a on a few rocks in the clearing, while Draco remained leaning against his tree. He ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair, removing dust and other leaves from it, and away from his face.

"This is a sacred rite that every young wizard goes through. You prove you're a man that the goddess would have wanted. You become a new man almost, and someone who is worthy of their magic. No matter what others have thrust upon you or the choices you made before. You've been chosen by the Goddess to represent her horned god; her lover and companion."

Arthur took over from Lucius, "Yes, and when the time comes you're allowed to enter a woman's bed. It's not something we take lightly as you two may know," He pointed between Ron and Draco. "Normally between pure-blood families and many others there are arranged marriages that come from this. It's the Goddesses way of finding your soul—"

Lucius scoffed loudly, "Now that is where you are wrong. The witch you're with is your equal and not this silly notion of a soul mate. They are your equals in magic, which is why you become more drawn to them. The magic speaks to one another; it's a living thing that must be cherished. Your magic does not see your personalities, but your strength."

"They should know about the high priestess," Draco called from the back.

"We do have the honor this year of the High Priestess of Avalon visiting us. She will be watching over the whole thing," Lucius smiled.

"There's social etiquette to be followed as well boys. Ron you know a lot already, but Harry this would be something for you to listen to," Arthur said with a smile.

"I'll listen carefully then," Potter said.

"It's our job to pick up on social que's, but not act on them. It sounds strange, but it's not allowed especially because you are all unmarried. There's to be no real affection between you and the girls. It's the way it's always been done," Arthur elaborated.

"For instance at one point in the mark a woman may mark you, and this will be later on in the day," Lucius drawled.

"We can't do anything?" Potter questioned.

"It's not the way things are done. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you were raised by muggles. It's stag blood."

Arthur looked off towards the room reminiscing, "Do you remember our stag night?" Arthur laughed.

Draco observed his father and the pained look on his face. He saw the way his father's hand tightened around his cane, the end of the wand,

"I do remember. I had a wonderful night with Narcissa, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen," Lucius cleared his throat, "Arthur I need to speak with you for a moment." In a few moments they had disappeared from sight of the three wizards.

To his horror Potter and Weasley turned around to look at him.

"Any witch in mind?" Potter asked civilly.

"None in particular, but I'll assume you're in it for Red and Weaslebee wants to be with your little Muggle-born?" Draco sneered.

"Hermione's always fancied me a bit I think, it's about time, but that's none of your business. She said she was over what happened in school, but I think she's still hurt; right Harry?" Weasley questioned.

"I told you Ron, it might happen and it could not. I can't speak for her. You know how when her head is stuck on something there is no going back," Potter stated.

The look of disgust crossed Draco's face once again. He had seen Granger cry over him, multiple times and especially the night that Gryffindor had won during Weasley's first time as keeper. He doubted that Weasley could keep a woman happy with the way he acted. He believed that Potter had a better chance of keeping a girlfriend.

"It's not my fault Lavender was there. She wasn't bad," Weasley exclaimed. "She was the first bird I fancied."

"Yet you were with her anyway, while knowing your best friend was pining after you. Even I wouldn't do that. I didn't even do that to Pansy and I could have left her multiple times," Draco spat.

Weasley growled and moved closer to Draco, and they were almost nose to nose, "What do you know about her anyway? Just because your Mum has some part in her life doesn't mean you deserve a place in it. Death Eater scum," Weasley spat out. That was the underlying truth that deep down Draco believed in.

"I'd have a better chance with Granger being attracted to me now than you would. I'm a 'Death Eater' but I'd still know how to treat her better than you could," Draco barked back.

"Piss off!"

"Hard to hear the truth Weasel? She'd go with one of your own brothers before you. At least they have the decency to treat her like the best friend you claim she is!" Draco shouted.

Arthur and Lucius emerged from the bushes, "Boys!" Arthur called to them and put his hand on his son's shoulders, anchoring him to the ground. Harry quickly took his stance between both of them.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Lucius questioned.

"He thinks he has a fair chance at getting into Granger's knickers," Draco replied.

Lucius laughed, "He'd have to be able to kill a stag before he got the chance."

The Weasley red color appeared on both of their faces as their anger increased with the Malfoy men. Malfoy didn't feel bad either. He had never been fond of either Potter or Weasley and increasingly found himself disinterested in the youngest male Weasley. He enjoyed playing off of his short temper and over emotional state. He was the quickest one of the bunch to get riled up and he had found a small respect for the Weasley Twins, after all their magic was quite amazing.

The youngest Weasley and him had come to an understanding and steered clear of one another. He was relieved that he was fortunate enough not to of crossed paths with any of the other Weasleys regularly.

"If my son want's to find Hermione then I'm sure he will, and there are simple spells to just help," Arthur reminded them all.

"Those are not supposed to be used, and that is against our tradition. Its frowned upon by the Goddess and by the high priestess. Do not forget that she is the one who makes these matches or would you rather forget her power so easily?" Lucius questioned him.

"If Ron is destined to find her then he will," Potter looked at Weasley, "we must be heading back though—it's nearly sunrise," he reminded his family and pulled them away from Draco and Lucius.

Draco watched as they began walking back towards their side of the clearing and towards the forest. Before he could stop himself he found himself calling out to Potter. Harry turned around with Ron's arm still clutched in his hand.

"Good luck," Draco yelled out.

Potter looked taken back by it, but recovered quickly. "You too!" he called back and then turned back around. He watched them retreat into the tree line and with a loud crack they were gone.

"Let's go, there's no need to stay where we aren't wanted. Hopefully no more run-ins with the rift raft either," Lucius groaned and disappeared with a crack quickly. Draco followed immediately afterwards and walked through the garden and into the sun room like they always did. He placed the weapons against the wall by the doorway and used his wand to clean his pants and feet off.

He looked down at his chest and arms, which were now covered in small angry scars. He would leave them and fix them later on; Draco was tired and tomorrow his mother had told him he would have to help her.

He walked through the hallways ad towards the manor staircase when he noticed the door to the library was ajar. He peered inside and saw the witch curled up in their old dusty chair that his mother had bought long ago. She was cuddled around a large textbook with her hair in disarray, but the moonlight peered around her illuminating her. He stood frozen for a moment, fighting with himself internally. He wanted to leave her there and felt like he should leave her there, because it was not his problem that she was stupid enough to sleep there and get a sore neck and back.

Draco walked inside quietly, and his training finally an advantage. He pulled the book from her grasp and marked the page by bending it down. He gingerly set the book down on the end table with multiple other books on the same subject. He peered over the spines, and dragged his finger over the words. Everything was about Avalon and Merlin; he should have known that she was always diligent in her research, and to her this wasn't any different then homework.

He groaned loudly when he lifted her from the couch, because his muscles were stiff. He could have easily levitated her with his wand, but at the same time he couldn't. His mind was becoming fuzzy as he carried her up the stairs—blanket and all. He avoided the squeaky steps and looked down both hallways; he still after all these years did not know where her bedroom was located.

Draco decided quickly that it didn't matter where she went, as long as she went somewhere. He headed towards hiss room and edged open the door across the hall with his foot. The moon was bright and lit up the whole guest room.

He wanted to be disgusted by touching her, he had only now touched her a few times on purpose. When she punched him third year didn't count to him, but when she cried and he attempted to comfort her over the Weasel was one. It wasn't like this though, nothing had been like this and the lack of a revolting feeling left him with a bad taste in his mouth.

He walked over the Persian rug and laid her on the four poster bed, and she latched onto his arm. He stood still breathing softly, but displeasure was clearly written on his face. He pulled his arm from her grasp and moved some of her hair from her face.

She wasn't ugly—far from it—but after years of seeing her one way it was hard to see her another. She was attractive—in the moonlight, sunlight,any light. Her dirty blood had nothing to do with the pretty package that she came in and with a brilliant mind like no other.

When she moved he pulled his hand back away like a snake had tried to bite him. In an angry haste he stormed out of the door, stupid witch, for making him feel these things.

He dropped onto his bed with frustration and stared out at his large window. The night sky was beautiful, he admired astronomy and loved the stars in the sky. Comparing her to the night sky was rubbish and far too romantic of a comparison for him to feel. It was never like that. It would never be like that.

He rolled over onto his side, blocking himself from his view of the window.

"Stupid witch," He hissed.


	5. V

**Beltane Night**  
><em>V: Wild Flower<em>

"Missus," a small voice echoed through her dream. She rolled over until she heard it again and opened her eyes wide. Above her was a green canopy and light sheer curtains tied around the bed posts. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked to her side; Mitzi was standing at the side of her bed with a smile on her face; her false lashes had small jewels on them today.

"Morning," Hermione mumbled and sat up while running her fingers through her still silky hair. If there was one thing that Narcissa did well, it was beauty spells. They were still active into today and her hair felt like it hardly needed brushing. Its soft curls held a slight poof from rolling around in her unmade bed. She looked around for a few more minutes before realizing that last she had been in the library when she fell asleep. Perhaps Narcissa had levitated her back to the room or a house elf had done so without her knowledge.

The small elf's ears wiggled in delight, "good morning missus, Lady Malfoy has breakfast downstairs for you," she grinned and skipped out of the room. Hermione laughed watching Mitzi and climbed out of bed; she itched her stomach lazily as she walked passed the vanity. She quickly bent down to look at the mirror and fluffed her hair up to made it look more presentable. She pinched her cheeks to get a bit of colour in them and smoothed her eyebrows down.

She was nowhere near a girly girl, but she knew how to look good. Narcissa had taught her a thing or two through the years and it made he feel beautiful, it made her feel good to take a little bit of pride in her looks. She didn't want to fit a stereotype that people had thrust upon her and the women who they thought cared too much about their looks.

Hermione thought of herself as beautiful business savvy, and she wanted to be classy and elegant when she wanted and cute bumish when she felt like it. It was no one else's business and she didn't need to reassure her intelligence by dressing down, just like she didn't need to reassure her intelligence when she put on a bit of makeup, and it didn't make her any less of a bookworm.

She pushed her hair to one side and walked through the Manor, bare foot at that, towards the dining area. Narcissa sat on the right side of her husband, as poised and proper as ever. She had seldom let anyone see her without makeup and her pristine outfits. Hermione smiled and waved from the doorway before joining them. It looked like Malfoy wasn't down yet so she could relax for a few moments and savor the coffee before having to argue with him until shopping.

Lucius held the Daily Prophet in front of him and was scanning for the latest news, his long hair drawn back into a low pony tail.

"Good morning dear," Narcissa addressed her and Hermione sat down in her usual seat next to Malfoy and picked up premade coffee, courtesy of Mitzi.

"Morning Narcissa, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied and took a sip of her coffee and moaned in satisfaction. French vanilla creamer and with a splash of cinnamon in there; she was in coffee heaven.

"It's Lucius, Miss Granger," Lucius spoke not looking up from his paper. Hermione glanced up at Narcissa who had a small smile playing on her lips while she buttered her toast.

"Of course, Lucius—anything good in today's Prophet?" Hermione asked casually.

"Gossip and more gossip, though it seems that there has been a disturbance at Azkaban; they will not say what specifically," Lucius replied to her and set his paper down. That had been the second time she saw Lucius Malfoy in his reading glasses. He denied that he wore them the first time but there was no denying it now.

Hermione nodded her head and picked up an English muffin to accompany her eggs.

"You know how secretive they are about Azkaban, after the last break out they don't want another repeat," Narcissa said casually. Hermione froze for a moment; Bellatrix had been one of the Death Eaters that had broken out last time. She had only one encounter with the witch and she was terrified of her, even with all of her Gryffindor courage she could muster she still wouldn't want to fight the deranged woman. Hermione had thrown up a powerful Protego when Bellatrix tried to torture Harry when he used Crucio on her. He had been withering on the ground crying about Voldemort and Bellatrix had gotten to her feet and was about to kill him.

~o~

_"I killed Sirius black!" the sound echoed through the hall as Hermione ran through the hall of prophecies and through the ministry. She had sprinted away from Tonks and the rest of the group and went after Harry. He was in no state to be alone, and especially when he was off trying to kill a mad witch. She slid to a stop when she saw Bellatrix on the ground pouting; Harry was standing over her screaming Crucio to the high heavens. Hermione feared for Bellatrix, almost, but she had never seen Harry in a more distressed state. _

_Suddenly he collapsed on the ground and clutched at his ears, as if he had been pushed over by the devil himself. His blood curdling screams echoed through the ministry halls and Hermione froze for a moment, he had just been winning. _

_"Get out, get out of my head—Tom!" He screamed, and Hermione watched as Bellatrix bit her tongue and giggled before getting to her feet. Her head was thrown back from the laughter, her nasty curly hair thrown about during her cackling. _

_Hermione pushed herself faster, and her heart was beating out of her chest. She began to scream to call attention to herself and waved one arm to get the demented witch's attention on her. "Protego!" She screamed out and stood in front of Harry as Bellatrix screamed Crucio. The spell bounced back towards Bellatrix and she side stepped it snarling at Hermione. _

_Hermione held her ground and kept her wand at the ready; she kept her face hard and cold. This was one thing Hermione was always sure about, her unwillingness to step down from a fight. She may have been terrified of her, but this was what being a Gryffindor was about. _

_"Oh, you will rue the day Mudblood, sister or not, I'll have you in my dungeon strung up like a prized pig," she cackled and clapped her hands together. _

_"Try me," hissed Hermione. _

_"Shall I just kill you now? You shouldn't even be associated with my family, Mudblood! Your dirty rotting blood is stinking up the Manor and my lord won't like that," Bellatrix spat back. _

_"Enough!" Dumbledore strode through the doors and Bellatrix was quick to make her escape going through the green flames of the floo system. Hermione dropped to the ground to comfort Harry; his wails were not dying down. _

_"He's back, Voldemort's back. I can feel him," he shouted at Dumbledore who leaned down next to Hermione. Their attempts were futile as they tried to console him. Hermione had never been more terrified for her friend. Tears sprung from her eyes and she hugged him tight as he rocked; the rocking only then becoming slower. _

~o~

"Morning," Draco mumbled as he walked into the room. Hermione was brought out of her day terror and resumed eating slowly. She ignored everyone for at least five minutes and tried to concentrate on her breathing.

_Some Gryffindor's can be scared; it's what made them human, _she had to remind herself. She blinked a few times rapidly and looked around the room at the Malfoys who were all happily engaged in a conversation.

"Hermione," she heard Narcissa's voice call to her.

"Yes?" She asked quickly.

"You look a bit white, dear, is everything alright?" Narcissa asked with concern. Hermione could see she was about to get out of her own chair to walk over.

"Yes, I'm fine; it was just a night terror that I was remembering is all. You know," Hermione quickly stated as if it was nothing. Narcissa was aware of the night terrors she had and had shared some of her own. Narcissa still looked at her with a motherly face, "I assure you that I'm fine Cissa," Hermione smiled.

"It's probably from falling asleep in dusty old chairs," Malfoy mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Hermione glared at him.

"Last night, you fell asleep in that mangy chair; the one you won't let us throw out just because it has 'character'. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the cause because it's bloody uncomfortable," He stated and ate his pancakes.

"Oh, maybe that's it," Hermione said as she wondered how Malfoy knew she slept there last night. _Had he?_ _No, that's simply impossible; I'd have a better chance of Nargles floating me to my bed then that, _she thought to herself.

"What are you doing today, Cissa?" Lucius asked.

"Well I'm taking Hermione here for fabric, for her dresses and then I was hoping I could borrow Draco. You know how I miss him these days; he's always busy with the company or Beltane now. I need him to help me carry supplies. You will spare him for just a day, will you not?" Narcissa asked laying it on hard.

"You want me to come and be a mule for you and Granger while you shop? I think not," Draco answered for his father.

"Oh stop that, I need your help like I do every year. Your father doesn't need you for today anyhow. He's got a business meeting with the Minister and you don't have to go into work today, because I called your secretary," Narcissa smiled. Hermione had to admire her; she always got what she wanted. She knew how to manipulate the system and use it to her advantage.

"You called my secretary," Malfoy asked in surprise.

"She said you were clear for the whole day, and what was her name? Something simple and silly but she was smart enough to get the job done. You have no prior obligations and you know Blaise is away on holiday with his mother; they're meeting one of the new husbands," Narcissa insisted.

"You can't deny that face Malfoy, even you must have a heart in there, tin man," Hermione laughed referencing _the wizard of oz_. She had made Narcissa and the family watch that about three years ago when Malfoy had to learn about it in Muggle studies.

"Of course, if you insist, Mother," Malfoy conceded and stabbed at his pancakes in anger. Hermione couldn't blame him, shopping with Narcissa was almost like an Olympic sport.

"Wonderful, Hermione, we need to get you all dressed up and then we shall go. Draco put on something suitable. You know we can never get away from the reporters," Narcissa ordered and placed her napkin down on the table. Lucius had already picked up the paper again when she kissed his cheek and pulled Hermione from her seat.

Hermione matched her strides and had barely made it into her wing of the house, or her closet when Narcissa started pulling dresses and outfits off of the racks. She was throwing them casually onto the couch in the center of her walk-in closet. She had seen a closet like it in Paris and insisted that Lucius build her one. The manor was always getting updated with the new trends. Her closet and wardrobe were no exception.

"Cissa, is this all necessary?" Hermione questioned as she picked through the clothes that Narcissa was laying out on the couch.

"Of course! I have an outfit here that I have just been dying to have you wear. It was just here, ah; here it is!" She exclaimed and walked out of her closet with a beautiful short black dress and a nude sheer collar and sleeves. A smell belt was wrapped around the dress; black and of the same fabric.

"Narcissa, don't you think that's a bit too much just be going to Diagon Alley?" Hermione questioned.

"Enough is never enough; you're in the public eye, Hermione. As a writer and you are associated with your friend Mr. Potter and also the Malfoys, so enough really is never enough," Narcissa insisted.

"I guess," Hermione said cautiously.

She went behind one of Narcissa's Japanese room dividers and pulled on the dress. She admired it on her figure for a few moments before she walked out for Narcissa to zip her up in it.

"Oh yes, this will do, we can pair it up with some strappy gladiator sandals and your hair will be down and straight," She smiled and got to work on fixing Hermione up, to her standards at least. Hermione trusted her and wanted to look good. She was a public figure. Because of this, eyes were on her most of the times.

She had seen the columns in Witch Weekly and they were rather unforgiving. It was either she tried to hard or not enough, but she couldn't win with the wizard media. She felt it must be like much of the media outside of her community. By the end she still recognized herself thankfully, and with just a nice strong pink lip she was deemed media worthy but Narcissa.

"You don't think it's a bit much; I mean I look like myself, but I look different too," Hermione said and twirled in the mirror. She wasn't too fond of playing dress up, but she couldn't deny that she looked good. Her hair was now straight thanks to another spell and it fell perfectly.

"You look like an older, and mature, and sophisticated version of yourself. You look beautiful; I just helped enhance what was already there. You didn't need much, but just enough that you're now not only comfortable but confident," Narcissa smiled and stood next to Hermione; she was admiring her fine work. Hermione nodded her head in agreement.

"Get your leather jacket on and we can head out. I'll meet you by the front door in five; I need to make sure that Draco looks presentable, I bet the boy didn't even shave," Narcissa made the clicking noise with her tongue once again and disappeared from the room.

Hermione slipped on the leather jacket that Narcissa had insisted she wear and looked out of the window; you could really tell spring was in the air. It was slightly warmer and the snow and slush that was once on the ground was now gone and dry. She shouldn't have been surprised, once it was more manageable many wizards dried out their homes and lawns.

She sighed and walked towards the guest room that she was supposed to be staying in and picked up her purse; sling it over her shoulder before walking down the manor steps. She was still sometimes in shock that she stayed here regularly with Narcissa, but she couldn't see it any other way.

Hermione wanted to laugh when she saw them together. Narcissa was right when she said that Draco didn't shave. He had on a black cardigan and white shirt underneath and a pair of black jeans on. He looked sophisticated like always with his stance but laid back. Hermione didn't remember the last time she took notice of him like that.

"There you are, I'll do the apparating. Do not let go and don't get any ideas about running away," she gave a pointed look at her son. Hermione held onto Narcissa's other arm and they disapparated from the Manor.

She tripped quickly and was caught by someone when they landed right on the inside of Knockturn Alley. She was quickly pulled back by Draco when Narcissa realized her mistake.

"Oh dear, I forgot that I wasn't alone when traveling. I always end up here and walk into Diagon Alley," She whispered frantically to her son and Hermione. Eyes were on them from the dark witches and wizards that hung around the alley. Pure-blood supremacy and plain ol' nasty witches and wizards alike existed in harmony there and didn't take well to Muggle-borns or outsiders; luckily for Hermione, she was both.

"Just walk mother," Draco kept a firm hold on Hermione while they walked through the alleyway. They weren't too far from their actual destination. They couldn't apparate from there; they were Malfoys and were welcome in the area, so they couldn't be seen afraid to be there, even if their companion was of inferior birth.

Hermione watched Narcissa raise her head and motion to Hermione to do the same. Hermione tried but kept side glancing at Malfoy and Cissa who ignored everyone in the alley. She felt Malfoy's fingers dig into her hip when she put her head down and quickly snapped it back up. _Infuriating Git, _she thought bitterly.

"Well, what do we have there, aren't you a pretty," a witch smiled from one of the shops. Hermione grimaced inside but tried to keep her face completely neutral. She could hear the whispers as they talked about the Malfoys walking with the Mudblood and she wanted to lash out at them. Her pride was on the line but as soon as they were near the connecting passage from Knockturn to Diagon Alley he grabbed her tighter and pulled her faster until they were in a better area.

"I'm sorry dear," Narcissa apologized.

"It's alright, but what I wouldn't give to go back to those—those, ruffians!" she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest and glared back at the alleyway.

"Granger, as much as I may laugh at you trying to take on a few hundred dark wizards, no doubt that you could probably win, I think my mother has other plans then to take you to St. Mungo's today," Malfoy smirked. She was irritated with him; it was her pride that was on the line when they resorted to calling her that atrocious name.

"Well, when someone starts making fun of you because of your blood status, please don't hex them," She hissed at him.

"You call me a prat nearly every time I see you Granger, and I don't hex you," He pointed out.

"We have an understanding, I call you a prat and a ferret and you call me a bossy know-it-all. It works for us, don't question the understanding," She told him and stomped off towards Narcissa who was in a shop that was filled with products for Beltane.

She looked back to see Malfoy standing there. _He is a prat; he doesn't even know when he's smiling like that, stupid mule. _

Hermione walked through the shop and found Narcissa who was filling up her cauldron with ribbons, strings, and brightly coloured tapestries. She followed her around the store dutifully and when she was asked for an opinion she gave it without thinking twice. She finally found herself in a section filled with balloons and was picking out different packs for the children to have.

"You know; if you two didn't irritate each other so much…" Narcissa trailed off.

"What do I know?" Hermione grumbled and put two packs inside of the cauldron, she didn't understand her irrational reaction towards him. She just knew how she felt and she was irritated with him.

"Oh nothing, just that it would be wonderful to have you as a daughter in name," Narcissa replied innocently making Hermione drop her other pack of balloons and everything else in her hands. She thought her eye may have been twitching when she turned her head to look at Narcissa who had her mouth covered with her delicate black glove.

"You have lost it, Narcissa I love you, but you have seriously lost it. I will see you at the flower shop because I need some air," Hermione decided and walked away from a giggling Narcissa. She couldn't believe that woman. She sounded like Molly almost for that moment, and Hermione shuddered at the thought. Malfoy and she were two different of people to even consider that.

She stalked out of the store and stood out in the fresh air for a few moments and crossed her arms over her chest when she saw Malfoy flirting with a witch selling something. _How does Narcissa think that I would ever get on well with that! _She shouted in her head. She didn't see the appeal, yes he was rather handsome but he was also arrogant. He was smart but he used it for evil, and he was a charmer but he used _that_ for evil too. He was dedicated when he did things but he was also a prat who had tortured her friends and her during school. People can change but she doubted that Malfoy would even be able to change enough that she would even consider it.

She was fuming at that point and when he pointed at her than to himself it made her fume harder. _What does the prat want now? _She looked away from him and finally Narcissa had come out of the shop.

"There you are, dear, it's flower time!" she said excitedly and pulled Hermione towards the flower shop and towards Draco. She didn't say much as they shopped through the wizard flowers. Narcissa had picked out many and ended up with muggle flowers as well. She listened to Narcissa give the proper name and symbolism behind each flower that she wanted to be planted in the field for Beltane.

"Granger!" she heard Malfoy's voice and scrunched her face up and let it go back to normal breathing in deep before turning around.

"What, Malfoy?" She asked.

"Here," he placed a daisy behind her ear. She stood there confused for a few moments before putting her hand towards her hair and touched the dainty flower.

"Wha—why?" she finally asked flustered by him.

"I asked the lady what type of flower would get you to stop being in such a bitchy mood, she pointed out roses, but when I told her it was a friend she replied with a daisy. Are you feeling less bitchy," He asked. It would have been a sweet gesture if he didn't use the word bitchy.

"Considerably," she sighed out and touched the flower in her hair again. A flash had gone off the second time she touched it and she looked up at Draco with wide eyes before turning to a reporter who had his camera out.

"What are you doing?" She roared and made her way to grab the camera; Malfoy had grabbed her and pulled her back.

The reporter looked ruffled, "getting the new headline for tomorrow, big news you see!" he replied and started to talk to his magic quill that was writing everything down.

"Now look here, this is a private establishment, you cannot walk right in here. Give me the camera!" Malfoy demanded and stalked over towards the reporter but Hermione groaned. The reporter was clearly outside of the shop and in Diagon Alley.

Draco began to argue with the reporter and to the point that he had grabbed the reporter by his suit and lifted him slightly up in the air. He was cursing and threating up a storm and Hermione silently thanked that his wand wasn't out. She walked over to where Narcissa was and pulled her over towards the scene.

"He got a picture of us and it's not what it looks like, so Draco may just kill him," Hermione said and Narcissa pushed the Cauldron into her hands and she watched her walk over and pushes the men away from each other. All three of them argued until Narcissa sent Draco away from the scene and he ran his hand through his now messy blonde hair. He stalked back and pulled the cauldron from Hermione's hand to go pay for it and Hermione watched him carefully so he wouldn't snap at anyone else.

He didn't say a word from her as he walked out of the store with the packages. Hermione finally walked over to Narcissa who had just dismissed the frightened reporter.

"Where's Malfoy going?"

"I sent him to take those home and go get some ice cream and a few more things while we go shopping for your cloth, I can't have him seeing that," Narcissa smiled.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked her as they walked through the streets of Diagon alley; many in the alley were now taking notice of them.

"Twillfit and Tattings of course, she'll have the fabric that we need in order to make you a beautiful dress. I always shop there, they keep out the rift raft," her eyes shining. Hermione didn't know how she felt about that. Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions was just as fine and more in the budget. She let Narcissa lead her there and stayed close to her when the Witch prodded at her trying to guess her size. She had stripped while the witch got all of her measurements and gave Narcissa a few samples of fabric for Hermione to choose from.

"Which one do you think is best?" Narcissa asked her when she showed her fabric colored red and green. Hermione took her time and ran her fingers over both sets of fabrics.

"Is there any way that we can do a white dress and green lining?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Of course, bring me the white fabric and I want this green fabric in two shades a long with a lavender colour delivered to Malfoy Manor by tonight. I want the sheer lavender; give me whatever length and a yard more for her size. I also want one green corset string and your best base for a head dress," Narcissa ordered.

"Yes ma'am," the witch replied and rang up everything on the old fashioned cash register, "Is that all ma'am?" she asked.

"Charge it to the Malfoy account and it will be there by tonight, right?" Narcissa questioned. The witch shrunk away from her and nodded her head frantically, "very well then, yes, that is it, I want nothing done to this fabric and you will do well to remember that," Narcissa threatened before walking away. Hermione was rather impressed and walked out after her.

"Nothing done to the fabric, what could she possibly do?" Hermione asked her.

"She's a pure-blood witch and her husband is a Death Eater, and she knows it's for you, but I've got an understanding with that witch. She wouldn't have a husband if it wasn't for me. She wouldn't dare cross a Malfoy," Narcissa said.

"Oh," was all Hermione could get out before Narcissa was drawn to a few Jewelry vendors. Both women admired the wares and Jewelry that the man was selling.

"Isn't that just darling," Narcissa pointed to the small necklace with a moon attached to it.

"It is, but I prefer the dragon paw with the clear crystal quartz," Hermione smiled and picked up the beautiful necklace. It shined bright and it was something to be envied. Hermione didn't like flashy things, but this was something that she thought was extraordinarily beautiful. She admired it for a few minutes before Narcissa insisted that she buy it.

"Oh no, I don't have anywhere to wear it anyway. It would end up sitting in my drawer and something like this should be shown off," Hermione said sadly and put it down. She thanked the vendor before pulling Narcissa away gracefully. Hermione looked forward and saw Malfoy sitting outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop sulking.

Hermione smiled when she saw Ginny and Mrs. Weasley heading her way and sprinted from Narcissa's side to hug Ginny tightly.

"You've just seen me the other day," Ginny laughed.

"I know, but I'm so used to seeing you every night at the loft. What have I missed? Is Crooks okay?" Hermione asked quickly.

"You still have that mangy cat?" Draco asked.

"Yes, and he's not mangy; he's sweet and he's a good little housemate. He's not too keen on you after he managed to get into the Manor to attack you last time either," Hermione pointed out.

"That beast," Draco grumbled.

"He's fine, I've fed him and he's been asleep in your bed the whole time," Ginny said and made face trying to get Hermione's attention.

"Good morning, Molly," said Narcissa, coming up from behind them.

"Narcissa, good to see you," replied Molly.

"What have you been shopping for?" Hermione asked her, and Ginny smiled brightly; she opened up her bag to show Hermione the fabric they had just bought.

"Mum and I bought fabric for the dress from Madam Makin's and bought a dress there for the morning dress robes; they're beautiful, but I don't get them until the day before. I was so excited, you know I love green," Ginny exclaimed.

"We just came and bought the fabric for both of mine, this is exciting," Hermione whispered to her but Molly had heard her.

"Oh, two dresses then—well that's just lovely?" Molly questioned Narcissa.

"It's traditional and I'm treating Hermione as if she were a Malfoy woman already, two handmade dress robes, and I want her to have the _full _experience," Narcissa smirked.

"It's lovely, Molly, Narcissa has been so generous to help me," Hermione said quickly and hugged Molly tightly.

"Dears, why don't you go and buy yourselves some ice cream while Molly and I—catch up," Hermione could see an evil glint in her eyes, and before she could say anything Malfoy had his hand on her shoulder and pushed her towards the shop.

"Must you man-handle me?" Hermione said sourly.

Ginny bit her lip and walked into the store before either of them and Malfoy grinned, "Always Granger," before pushing her again inside of the shop. They waited in line for a few moments. Ginny had gone for the Butterbeer ice cream.

"I'll take a salted caramel blondie," Hermione asked.

"Earl Grey and Lavender," Draco asked for and they waited a few moments for the Ice cream to be delivered. Draco threw down Galleons on the table. Hermione looked at Ginny and shrugged her shoulders before walking out with him.

"Thanks Malfoy," Ginny said slowly.

"Don't mention it, Red," He muttered.

"Red?" Ginny questioned.

"Well, I can't go around calling you she-weasel for the rest of your life, can I now? I hear you and Potter are an item and how would that look if you became a Potter and I still was calling you she-weasel?" He replied and dug his spoon into his ice cream.

"Ah, right. You really do treasure those nicknames," Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You know you have been overly nice. First with the flower and now this, have you got May fever? Are you twitterpated?" Hermione asked.

"Twitter-what?" He frowned.

"You know, twitterpated, the feeling of spring love, awe— Malfoy," Hermione teased.

"Granger, I just bought you ice cream, so shut up and eat it," He told her and sat down on the bench outside of the store. Ginny sat down as well and Hermione sat between them, leaning more towards Malfoy due to lack of space and that she didn't want to crush Ginny. She crossed her legs and bounced it lightly as she enjoyed her ice cream.

"So what did you get, Malfoy?" Ginny asked politely.

"This stupid earl grey one, I'm attempting to try every flavor there. I'm winning against Blaise," He shrugged and lifted the spoon to his mouth. Hermione decided to steal a bit of his ice cream a long with Ginny's and when both of them gawked at her she didn't meet their eyes.

"Does she scavenge often?" He glared at her and spoke to Ginny.

"Often," Ginny spoke and stole some of Hermione's. Hermione could only smile and eat the rest of her ice cream in peace. She didn't do that often but the look on Malfoy's face was priceless to her; he looked like he wanted to throw the ice cream at her.

Hermione looked around and located Flourish and Blotts, "do you think your mother would mind if we went into there," she pointed with her spoon towards the book store.

"I can't imagine that she'd deny you anything, so finish your ice cream's up and lets go," He threw his in the trash and lifted himself from the bench. Hermione slid where he was sitting after he got up and disposed of the rest of her Blondie along with Ginny; they got up to walk over towards their mothers.

"Mum, Granger needs to get a few books, we'll be back in a moment," he leaned down and touched his mother's shoulder.

"Of course dears, be good. Don't cause too much of a fuss and keep the girls safe," she smiled up at her son and Hermione had to snort at that. Narcissa smiled at her and gave a small wink. Narcissa knew that her son was a strong wizard but he was with a girl who didn't need to be saved. She was the princess who saved the prince in her own story.

"Mum, I'm going with them," Ginny said and Hermione grabbed her arm as they strolled behind Malfoy towards the shop. They wandered through the shop and Malfoy had gone towards the Quidditch section leaving Ginny and Hermione to talk.

"The flower?" Ginny hissed.

"Yes, he bought me a flower to ease my bitchyness and I think he helped me into my room last night when I fell asleep on the library chair," Hermione whispered back and picked up a few books from the shelves and glanced over them.

"Well the boys were furious when they came home; they kept muttering something about Malfoy being a complete prat to them which I believed. It seems like he's being nice to you though—what gives?" Ginny questioned.

"I don't know, I'm blaming Beltane for this one, but why were they upset?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, but Harry said that they were just upset over nothing big, I trust Harry with this one. You know how Ron can be; he's always thinking with his temper and my dad doesn't want his son to be out numbered. What about staying with them though," Ginny looked around and lowered her head, "do you like it?" she questioned.

"It's alright, Lucius told call him Lucius today instead of Mr. Malfoy, and the only one I still bicker with all the time is Draco. Though Narcissa has it in her head that there is some chemistry there, how can you get chemistry from loathing," Hermione whispered back.

"Well, mum thinks this thing might be rigged so that you don't end up with Ron. Dad told him about spells and Mum has been saying some unsavory things about the Malfoys. She doesn't believe they can play fair for you. I didn't know you were every woman's vision for a daughter-in-law," Ginny laughed.

"Oh wonderful, it can't be rigged though. Narcissa said that they can't rig it and I read somewhere that there are spells that can prevent it. She also said I'm allowed to reject the ones that use spells," Hermione whispered and picked up another book and added it to her cauldron. She had a few books now that she could read while she stayed at the Malfoys.

"Oh good, Harry said something about meeting up with you soon. You should owl him," Ginny smiled and placed a few books of her own in her cauldron.

"I will. I haven't had a proper lunch with him for a while. Do you think Molly is really mad at me for letting Narcissa help? Molly has you and Narcissa doesn't have a daughter, so it's mutually beneficial," Hermione explained.

Ginny smiled and put her hand on Hermione's shoulder to keep her from waving her arms around while she ranted, "Mione, it's okay, mum will get over it and you know me. If you're happy and she's doing something good for you then she's good. I have a temper but it's a more logical temper," Ginny laughed.

"Right, sometimes I forget that you're you, Miss Fearless-Almost-Potter," Hermione smiled.

"Whatever, just because him and I have been together for a while now doesn't mean anything," she rolled her eyes at Hermione.

"I saw this beautiful dragon claw necklace at a vendor today. I think I may go back later to get it, but I can't decide," Hermione said changing the subject. She knew that Harry was going to propose soon, He looked at Ginny like she hung the moon and several stars.

"Well go back and buy it. You certainly have enough coin in Gringott's to buy it. It's alright to indulge once in a while," replied Ginny.

"I know, but where would I even wear it?" Hermione insisted.

"Around your house, my place, and over the Malfoys, or when you are walking around Diagon alley and when you are in the Daily Prophet, hello—everywhere," Ginny told her. Hermione shrugged and picked up her last book, about dragons, and placed it inside her cauldron.

"We should go find your Beltane boy," Ginny teased and skipped through the stacks of books. Hermione followed after as they searched through the Quidditch books but didn't find him.

"Granger, here," she turned around and he dumped three books into her cauldron and pushed money into her hands, "this should cover the books, but I remembered that I had to do something today, mother is still outside so just go find her," He said and closed his hand over hers making sure the money was safely in her hands. He nodded towards Ginny before disappearing between the stacks of books and out the door.

"He is a peculiar one today," Ginny acknowledged.

"Very," Hermione agreed and they both waited in line to pay for their books. Five minutes later they were out and saw both Witches still sat at a table discussing things.

"Mum, we should really be going," Ginny inserted herself into the conversation that looked rather tense. Hermione nodded to Narcissa and everyone parted after saying their goodbyes. They walked to an apparition point and went home to the manor.

"Now, we plant," Narcissa claps and pulls out her magical flowers from her purse. Hermione followed along behind her and with a few flicks of her wand she started to plant the flowers outside in the field. The magical flowers started to bloom before her eyes and she stood there in amazement. She knew that tending to wizard gardens were different and that they grew at a rapid pace compared to others, because of her lessons in herbology and Neville, but she never imagined this.

"This is so unreal," she whispers to herself before running into the flower patch, kicking off her sandals, "Narcissa are you seeing this!" she exclaims as the flowers come to life under her bare feet.

She dropped her leather jacket and lifted her arms up towards the light twirling, almost floating like a fairy through the flower patch. Hermione lets herself go as she dug her feet into the bare earth and spun around, her hair flying through the wind. She looked like a ballerina in that moment and Narcissa couldn't help but feel the excitement.

Picking up her dress, Narcissa sprinted into the flower patch with Hermione, their hands now locked together as they spun through before dropping to the ground. Both witches were laughing hysterically, mainly at Hermione's amazement to something as simple as growing flowers through magic. Hermione lifts herself back up and sees her opportunity to get Narcissa to really enjoy herself and offers her hand.

"Come on there's something I remember my mum and I doing all the time and you have to try it!" Hermione said excitedly and helped Narcissa up. She ran towards the hill, rolling through the flower fields down the small hill. She watched for Narcissa when she reached the bottom and saw her following her. This was a site, the rare occasion that Narcissa Malfoy was anything but a lady. She reverted back to her youth. Hermione saw Narcissa smiling at her fondly and she lifted a flower up from the ground and placed it into the older witch's hair.

"I know it's not proper, but— it's fun?" Hermione left it at a question.

"Extremely, I used to do this with my son when he was a boy before it was not fun anymore to him. They grow up very fast; when you have children of your own you'll see," She said and looked off into the distance. Hermione felt her heart ache for her; she knew Cissa missed those days.

"I'm sure that Malfoy will give you grandchildren and then you may do this all the time, that is when I'm not over here forcing you outside," Hermione told her, "It's alright to take the mask down once in a while," she reminded her.

"I know, poppet," she looked back at their things up on the hill and with a wandless spell accio'd their belongings to them.

They sat out in the field for a half hour talking about Hermione's childhood and Narcissa's fond memories with her son. Hermione then decided that she was grateful in every way to Narcissa, no matter what traits she may carry. She knew where her loyalty lied and she had loyalty even to Hermione; she was more loyal than any Gryffindor that she had met. She may have been the kindest Slytherin that she knew to an extent as well.

"Mum, Granger, Father needs you to come in, and we need to leave soon so you can't be out!" She heard Malfoy call from the house door. The girls got up and wiped off the dirt that they may have gotten on them and walked back to the Manor.

Hermione was first in, but Malfoy grabbed her arm and lifted up his other hand to adjust the flower in her hair. His fingers grazed the sides of her face softly and she stiffened at the contact.

"You should keep that in your hair more often," Draco commented lowly. She stared up at him for a few moments, his grey eyes piercing her brown ones. They hadn't ever been this close before and it was foreign territory. He still had his hand wrapped around her arm, and she didn't know if she wanted to pull it away from him or not.

She bit her lip before replying, "Maybe I will," and walked inside. Her insides felt weird and she didn't know what to think of him anymore. She looked back and saw him speaking to his mother before leaving out the door. She watched from the window as Lucius joined him and they walked off into the woods as the evening was starting to fall.

Things were getting stranger and more curious. She didn't know what was in the air or water, but she blamed Beltane fully for it. There was something about the holiday that had begun to mess with their heads.

**/ Now I know that's OOC for Narcissa and I may get crucified for that, however please remember this is AU and I'm creating character depth. Nothing is black and white, yes she's cold and unfeeling towards everyone but what she does behind closed doors with no one around is her own business. **

**Just like I know many may get upset that Hermione is taking an interest in her appearance. She's still a know-it-all and it doesn't detract from her intelligence just because she wants to look nice. **

**I know I see a lot of people saying that they hate Hermione being a girly girl and boy crazy. I'm trying to make Hermione into a woman who is smart, knows things and still wants to be known as a girl. I think that was a problem personally in the movies and books was that Harry and Ron didn't realize she was a girl until the Yule ball, and in my AU she sort of carries that with her to remind herself that it's alright to want to look beautiful and dress for herself and be who she is. **

**Please Review and leave me your thoughts! **

**K  
>xxxx<strong>


	6. VI

**Beltane Night**  
><em>VI: Legend<em>

It was the highlight of the first real day of spring weather. Hermione had owled Harry earlier in the week, she asked him to meet her at The Three Broomsticks for lunch. Normally they had lunch once a week with one another at the least and they would include Ron, but at Hermione's request he was left at home with the rest of the Weasleys.

They had been sat at a table enjoying lunch when Hermione finally asked him, "Harry, what were Ron and Arthur upset about last week? Ginny said they were absolutely fuming."

"I don't know. I mean—I do know, but it was over something silly Mione," he replied.

"It may be silly, but I need to know. Ginny said that there was talk about magic that can locate someone. It's forbidden and I need to know if that's what Ron's going to try," Hermione sighed. She didn't want to sound disappointed in her friend, but she was. She loved Ron. However, she wasn't in love with him anymore and that upset him. She almost wanted to just fake it and pretend, because it was what the whole Wizarding world wanted of them anyhow. His family wanted it too and she knew they were one of the golden couples of their world beside Harry and Ginny.

Harry put down his fork and knife before taking her hand in his, "I know. He's mad because you're with the Malfoys. You can't blame him for that bit, but I know how you feel about them and so does he. He thinks that this will show you that you two are meant to be. His heart is right and his intentions are good, but it's wrong. I think he'll realize it soon," he said.

"But, why was he so upset with the Malfoys. I know that Lucius works Malfoy hard…I just don't see them hanging around you guys for too long," Hermione explained.

"Well, Arthur asked if they could each teach us something—explain the legend a bit more. Draco defended you actually—in a way. Ron was talking about his affections towards you. Draco insulted him and told him that he had a better chance of you being attracted to him than Ron," Harry told her.

"That makes more sense than what I imagined happened. Oh, why does Ron have this in his head? We haven't ever kissed even! I don't want Beltane to be ruined because of this, so will you please talk to Ron? Just try to make him understand," Hermione begged.

"You know I will, Mione you're like a sister to me. Anything you want and you've got it," He said and smiled. Hermione squeezed his hand tightly; she knew that out of everyone in the world he would be there for her always. Harry had been her first real friend when she attended Hogwarts and their bond with each other could never be broken. She had never left his side, even through the Tri-Wizard tournament.

Their friendship had soon developed into a family relationship. She treated him like she would any sibling and he did the same thing with her. She was alone in the world and as much as Narcissa could pretend to fill in the gaps, this was something that truly fit.

She hadn't had a sibling in life, but she could have one now without replacing anyone. Maybe it was also because they had similar pasts; they shared the title orphan, and despite their relationship with Ron it was different.

No one could truly understand what it meant to be an orphan like they could, they could relate to one another. It was something that made Harry befriend her faster, at least that was what he told her. They were able to sit in the Gryffindor common rooms and share things with one another after lights out, including their past families.

He had even shared the mirror of Erised with her in their first year. Only, the picture for both of them changed when they were in the presence of each other. When she looked in the mirror while he was in the room she would see his parent's with him, while he would see her parents with her. That was their ultimate wish between each other.

"I have it on good authority, that there are a few preventative measures you can use," Harry told her.

She threw her hands up, "let me get my agenda," she said quickly and picked it out of her purse, "go on."

"If you weave elder leaves through your floral crown and sprinkle them with fairy ashes, it should stop the spells. It's something that has to do with their magic being completely pure. I'm getting Ginny some tomorrow, do you want me to pick you up a pouch?" Harry questioned.

"Yes, if you could please—I really want this to be right," Hermione sighed.

Harry chuckled and picked up his tea, "Mione, you worry too much. Everything will go according to your plan—just relax already."

"That's easy for you to say, you're going to get engaged right after this," Hermione whispered. She knew she was uptight about things, one could say she was a perfectionist. It was just who she was and she couldn't change it. She was a born over-achiever and she wanted things to go right; she wanted to belong.

"Mione, this is you that were talking about. You will be fine, say it with me. I am, Hermione Jean Granger, and I am an amazingly bright witch who will attend Beltane. I will relax and have fun, because my best mate Harry said so," he said. Hermione rolled her eyes at it but Harry shot her a look, he really wanted her to say it.

"Oh come on Harry—" she was interrupted.

"I want you to say it," he told her.

"— Fine, I am Hermione Jean Granger. I am an amazingly brilliant witch and I'm going to Beltane…" she trailed off.

"Ah, I think you forgot something…and?" He prompted her.

"I will relax and have fun because my best mate, Harry, told me so. Are you happy?" She asked him sarcastically.

"Elated actually," he teased her.

Hermione only smirked at him and picked at her food slowly. Maybe she would take his advice, just one night of fun. They both talked for what seemed like a few hours; mainly it was just about how things were going with them. Harry was nervous about proposing to Ginny and Hermione was thinking of remodeling the bookshop. She wanted to put her flat above the shop that way she could be there more and perhaps open it up to the public. She loved looking and searching for rare books, but she also loved to watch people come into her shop and browse for them.

Harry suddenly stopped talking, his face turned white and he pointed behind Hermione. She followed his gaze and turned half way around. Someone had their daily prophet open and on the front page was a prominent picture of her and Malfoy from the flower shop.

"What on earth," she said bewildered by the paper and got up from her seat and approached the wizard behind them. "Excuse me, Sir," Hermione asked softly, "where did you get that paper?"

"Oh, It's on every stand in Diagon Alley," he replied.

"Thank you—sorry to bother you," Hermione turned away from him afterward and marched out of the Three Broom Sticks and into Diagon Alley. She had Harry calling after her when she found a stand that sold the Daily Prophet. She snatched up a paper and grew redder as she watched the moving picture of her and Malfoy. The photo showed him placing the flower in her hair and another smaller one showed her looking at him before seeing the photographer, her deer in the head lights look made the whole story believable.

Hermione pulled the paper open and at the top of The Daily Prophet '_Possible Death Eater and Harry's Golden Girl in Cahoots'. _ She let her mouth fall open and Harry finally reached her and pulled the paper away from her before she could read anything.

"Mione, you know all she does is write lies, so don't get yourself too worked up!" he told her and kept the paper a safe distance away from her.

"Harry you don't understand, do you know how this looks? She's bashed me during the Tri-Wizard tournament saying that we were shacking up, then Victor Krum, then Ron, and now Malfoy!" Hermione cried and picked up another copy of the paper and found the article.

_Our lovely golden girl has decided to play mistress to the dark now. Can Hermione Granger, Muggle-born; be trusted to help fight the dark lord when she's off fooling around with Mr. Malfoy. Is she out to steal another heart, and we all wonder where she keeps them. Poor Harry Potter must be in distress to see his first love out with another man. Our Hermione is a busy girl though, shame on her for not keeping us in the know. Now the real question is, is this love or is she just after the fame and money that the Malfoy line can secure for her. We've seen her go after all rich full blooded wizards and a half-blood. Is this any kind of way to act Miss Granger? Give us other girls a chance. _

_We had someone follow them the whole day. Draco Malfoy has bought Miss Granger and her friend Ginevra Weasley ice cream then escorted them to a book store. Is he now meeting the friends? There are rumors that the two had a scandalous attraction towards each other during school; they were bickering like an old married couple, but we have the inside scoop…_

Hermione couldn't read anymore and dropped the paper back in the stall where it belonged. She wanted nothing more than to leave, everyone in Europe was going to read the blasted paper and they would all think of her as a common tart.

"Obviously she didn't listen to my threat the first time. God help her when I get my hands around her neck, because if the ministry doesn't do anything then I will," Hermione growled out. She was going to end Skeeter if it was the last thing that she did. She had pictures and proof of her unregistered Animagus, and tomorrow she would go to the Ministry to sort everything out.

"Have I ever told you that you're pretty scary when you're angry?" Harry asked and pulled her away from the stands.

She let out a soft laugh at that, "only once or twice before," she said honestly.

"I'm glad to remind you that you are in fact bloody scary," he replied as they walked through the rest of Diagon Alley. A few of them gave her a stare or a disapproving look but she kept her head held high and ignored them.

Something like a silly article that Rita Skeeter had written would not get her down, the silly cow couldn't write something of worth and value if it was written for her. Hermione still couldn't believe that people were taking her word for truth; the Quibbler could be more credible than Skeeter.

She imagined that people had better things to do with their time; she held them to a higher standard. They were no better than the boys and girls at Hogwarts who gossiped and created rumors through her time at school. They were over grown children who hadn't left primary school, but she pitied them more than anything.

"Harry! Hermione," someone had called out to them from the passing crowd. They turned around and Ron was close behind them. Hermione silently cursed to herself, it was for the best though. She needed things to go back to normal; whatever possible normal there was left.

"Ron, what are you doing in Diagon Alley?" Harry questioned.

"Well, mum said you took off early this morning. I figured you were going to see Mione and I wanted to tag along. Ginny's going mental at the house with mum," Ron laughed and Hermione smiled. Ginny would be going mental at the house if things weren't getting done properly.

"We've decided to just go for a bit of a walk. Talk about the old days," Harry told him.

"Mate, you make it sound like were eighty years old. The old days were only two years ago—they're still happening," Ron smiled.

"Exactly what I was telling him, but you know Harry is practically an old man," Hermione teased and nudged him.

"Aye, I am not an old man, nor do I think I am—I just happen to be practical," Harry retaliated. They walked through Diagon Alley and had ended up in a Quidditch shop. Hermione had even gone into to appease the boys.

"Can you believe what Skeeter has been saying? She's bloody nuts," Ron told Hermione; she nodded along with him.

"She just doesn't seem to remember what happened after the Tri-Wizard tournament and I need to remind her of it," Hermione brushed it off. When she looked past Ron towards Harry she could see him retreating, a sheepish smile on his face. He was giving them the privacy that they needed. She needed to tell him sooner or later, and she thought it should be sooner.

"Ron?" she asked softly.

"Mione, before you say anything please just hear me out, okay?" He told her.

Hermione nodded wordlessly and played with a few of the rings that she had on her fingers, she wanted to be attentive but she was embarrassed to be even having this type of talk with him. What she would have given to have this four years ago, but now it was all different. She wasn't willing to be overlooked like she was before.

"I want to date you…I know my mum has been dropping hints here and there but it's all me—I promise you that! I know I've messed up and it wasn't fair to you Mione. I just was with Lavender because she showed interest in me and I didn't know about you…I mean I know you treated me different but—"

"Ronald, just don't," Hermione snapped.

"—I love you."

Hermione sighed deeply and tried to pull herself together. She finally told him, "You cannot love me— it's been so long Ron. I know this is what we're supposed to do because were part of this media craze_, The Golden Trio_, but please is this what you really want?"

"I'm telling you Hermione, I love you," He urged her.

"I love you too, but it's not the same way. You're one of my best friends Ron. I don't want to lose you, okay?" She whispered and put her hand on his arm. He didn't shrug her off like she assumed he would though and that made her happy.

"I love you and I'm not going to stop, but I—okay. I get it, I'm really sorry I was so late Mione," he told her honestly.

"It's okay—it is what it is. Are we still—are we still friends?" She asked hesitantly.

"Mione, you're my best friend. Something like this will never come between us. Nothing in this entire world, even those stupid Malfoy's that you like to hang out with," He promised her. Hermione had tears in her eyes when she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. They might not have been boyfriend girlfriend and their feelings had come at different times, but despite everything he would always be one of her best friends.

She did love him once in a way that she had never loved another man and she would always have him in her heart in that special place. First and foremost though, he was her best friend for life.

"You know, when you want to be amazing Ron—you're really amazing," She teased him.

"Yeah I know, did you forget that I'm your king?" he joked in reference to their old school chant about him.

"You will always be my favorite Gryffindor keeper," She leaned up and kissed his cheek softly. He would honestly always be her favorite player; from the time that she had to help him just so that he would gain his confidence to the time he played without liquid luck.

"For what it's worth, I still believe that we'll find each other," Ron told her.

"Ronald, it's not worth much. Please just leave it—"

"I know, but please just consider it," Ron urged her.

"Ron, leave Mione alone, I have to take her to her shop anyway. I'll meet you back here soon," Harry stepped in quickly. He pushed himself between his two friends and she was grateful for it. She couldn't find it in herself to argue anymore with Ron over it. She was at the breaking point where she might have just agreed.

"I'll see you Hermione," Ron told her, but before she could say anything Harry had taken her out of the shop and started towards her book shop.

Both friends had walked in silence; they didn't know what to say to one another. Things had not been this weird between them since their last year. She knew that he was under stress; Voldemort was coming back, but they didn't know when. Hermione was researching everything she could to prevent it, or for what could give them a fighting chance.

The winds had been changing slowly for a long time and now they were getting stronger.

There was smoke coming from one of the corners; they rounded it and Hermione's heart stopped in her chest. She covered her mouth with her trembling hand as the other gripped tightly onto Harry's shirt; she couldn't keep herself standing on her own.

She was facing her now destroyed shop. Smoke was coming from the burning books and the small fires that were inside her little shop. The windows had been blown out; books and papers were flying about in the wind. Her shop and her life ruined—she had nothing left. Everything that she had worked so hard; all of her research had been in there and now most of the books and paper work were scattered through Diagon Alley.

"H—Harry," Hermione stuttered.

"I'm calling the office, do not move," he ordered and ran from her side to the shop. He cast two Patronus's from his spot and went inside her shop to inspect; everything was in such disarray now.

Hermione sunk to her knees and let her sobs overcome here. She couldn't believe this was happening to her now.

"Why," she whispered to herself multiple times; she chanted it like a hymn at church. The wait for the Auror's to come to her shop felt like years.

"Miss Granger," She looked up to see Lucius standing next to her. Harry had rushed out as more Auror's rushed onto the site.

"Mr. Malfoy," he nodded his head in Lucius's direction, "I see you've gotten my Patronus. Her shop has been ransacked, but looks like nothing has been taken. It's just a warning to her and I think perhaps your family. Come," he motioned for them both to join him.

Lucius bent down to help Hermione up and she clung to his arm with tears still streaked down her face. Lucius mumbled words of encouragement to her as they walked in the entrance of her shop. Walking in was hard for her, the destruction that she saw on the outside was much worse on the inside.

With what looked like blood, _Stay away Mudblood_ was written across her walls in multiple places. It stood out from among the wreckage; she couldn't believe that someone would go to this extreme to send a message to her. She didn't even know what she was supposed to stay away from.

"Have they checked the perimeter for dark magic?" Lucius asked hesitantly.

"Yes, but we've found nothing. We aren't sure who did this—we can only assume it's one of Tom's followers," Harry told them. Hermione left both of them and threw herself towards her counter area. She went through the box that she had left there and sighed with happiness when she was able to pull the book about Godric Gryffindor from its container.

"Thank you," she mumbled to herself and looked over the damages that had happened to the other books in the box while they talked.

Lucius and Harry began arguing when Lucius asked to do a search of his own; he claimed that there was dark magic even they didn't know how to search for. After minutes of arguing he finally relented and Lucius went to work looking through everything.

"Mione," Harry called out.

"Down here," she said slowly. She was sat behind the counter now with her book in her lap and her head rested against the glass counter.

"He's going to go check for everything, but at this point there's nothing we can do. Malfoy said he'd send for a cleanup crew. They're going to help you get through everything, and you know you can count on us too," He reminded her.

"Harry? Why does this always happen to me. Is it always going to be about blood? Are we ever going to be really free?" she asked out loud. She couldn't bring herself to look at him for the actual answers, all she could think about was that her blood was the only reason her business had been ruined.

"You want to know why they're upset. They're upset because someone who wasn't brought up in the world of magic is far more powerful than them. Death Eaters cannot fathom that someone so powerful could come from a line with little magic, and they fear you for it," he told her. Without a second thought she hugged him tight and he rubbed her back soothingly.

"Missus," a small voice interrupted them.

"Mitzi and Peony, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked.

"Mistress Malfoy sent us, we're here to help. We heard Missus's shop was in ruins and we volunteered along with Bon-Bon and Rigby," Peony smiled.

"Winky is here too!" Winky called out as she entered the shop with three more house elves.

Another small elf spoke up, "you've helped us so much Missus, and it would be an honor."

"I couldn't ask that of any of you, this is so much to do," Hermione said quickly. Happy tears were coming to her eyes; she was honored that they would volunteer to help her.

"No, we are here to help. Let us help Miss Mione," Mitzi assured her.

"Afterwards, you must all come over for dinner then," Hermione made them promise and was accompanied by a small round of yes's from them. The house elves got to work in an instant and began to clean up her shop and put things right; Hermione was touched by everything that they were willing to do to her.

"I told you that you worry too much," Harry grinned.

"Miss Granger, we must be leaving soon. I have given my results to the head Auror—but for now we should not linger," he told her and took her hand in his. She didn't get the chance to say goodbye before he disapparated with her to the Manor.

They landed in the drawing room and he kept her upright when they landed. He had far more experience than her and they landed with only a small crack. They had joined Narcissa and Severus Snape in the Malfoy's drawing room.

Narcissa threw down the dress she was sewing to run to Hermione and pull her into a tight embrace.

"Oh, sweet girl—please tell me you are alright," she said.

"I'm fine, not a scratch on me, but I wish I could say the same about my shop," Hermione sighed.

"A shop can be bought and transformed again, but you are one of a kind. I'm sure you've already seen the elves there. They are going to make it fabulous after they clean it up, they are under strict orders to not let you see the renovations though," Narcissa smiled.

"I see, and how are you Professor Snape?" Hermione questioned. She knew that he was Draco's godfather and a close family acquaintance but she didn't see why he would be here.

"I'm fine, but you have had quite a day. Narcissa here begged me to bring you some sleeping draught so that you would have a good night's rest. I've brought some from Hogwarts—only the best," He drawled out. She knew that Snape still held a strong dislike for her, but she was the best in his class besides his own godson. They had come to a mutual respect for one another even if he thought her to be an insufferable know-it-all.

"That's very kind, thank you," Hermione murmured while Narcissa still clung to her like she was a child. It seemed if she was to let go then Hermione may disappear or find herself in harm's way. Lucius finally had to pry his wife from Hermione just so she could begin to breathe regularly again.

"Miss Granger, please take the sleeping draught and go to your room. We will do more explaining in the morning," Lucius ordered her. Normally she would have talked back and told him that she needed to know everything now, but she was feeling tired and a good night's rest sounded well. She wordlessly took the potion from her old potion's professor and left the room willingly.

~o~o~

The three looked at each other after she had left the room, they intended to get to the bottom of it and it would have to start with Lucius calling a meeting.

"My love— I will see you soon," he kissed his wife on the forehead before stalking off towards their dungeons. At his destination he pulled back the sleeve of his shirt to reveal the Dark Lord's mark on his forearm. Without a second thought he positioned his hand over the mark and uttered the spell that would call each of the Death Eaters who wore it to his Dungeon.

As black smoke began to cloud the room he sealed it up with blood magic, no one would be getting out now—it was his playtime to do what he did best; get information.

~o~o~

Narcissa was sewing up a storm upstairs with Severus. She had asked him here not only to help Hermione but her son as well. Draco was blissfully unaware of what had happened to Hermione today, but she knew that he would be upset and demand answers when he found out. Instead of skipping his training she asked Severus to help him.

After checking on Hermione the first few times she went to the balcony to watch her son in his training. She kept quiet on the balcony, which was located in Hermione's room, and started to sew the night dress for Beltane.

Everything was changing rapidly for Narcissa and she didn't know how long she could hold her family together. That was the only thing that truly scared her.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you so much for the support and critique's that I have gotten for this. <strong>

**I have gotten a Beta. I will still be posting chapters and then I will be sending them to my Beta. I will update them after she sends them back so that they are at their highest level of grammar perfection. At the end of every chapter that are Beta'd you will see Beta Readers: -insert my beta's username- that way you know what is happening. **

**K.**

**XXX**


	7. VII

**Beltane Night**  
><em>VII: Prophecy [Narcissa POV]<em>

She sat in a store located in Knockturn Alley; it had gained the reputation of catering to only dark witches and Wizards. Narcissa had never believed in Seer's much but with everything that had happened during the past few weeks she thought it was best to consult one.

Narcissa had snuck out late at night, despite Lucius's warnings to stay far away from Madam Rhea. She was a direct descendent of Dione, a famous Greek Seer. Dione was an oracle that was devoted to the Mother Goddess. She was more deformed due to her being a descendent of Aphrodite as well. Aphrodite wished to be the only woman in the world who was beautiful and known for that. Due to the gift that the women in her family were given she cursed them with disfiguration so that no man may use them and look upon them like a goddess.

It was a blessing and a curse to her line and now Narcissa was waiting to face Madam Rhea. She fidgeted in her seat until she heard the rustling of the beaded curtains. One house elf had brought out tea and placed it in the center table for the witches.

Lightning cracked the sky and the eerie mood set into the room. Narcissa sneered at the mismatched furniture and the hodgepodge of furniture that cluttered the small shop. Potions and skulls lined the walls on the shelves a long with books that have been covered in dust, some for maybe a few centuries.

"My—my, what do we have here?" the old woman crooned.

"I am Narcissa Malfoy, from the line of Blacks. I've come for your assistance," Narcissa stated. She had never been to Madam Rhea before, but she had heard the horror stories; so she braced herself.

Out from the curtains stepped a young woman. Her red hair was tangled in dread locks and her golden skin was cut up with scars. Her eyes had been scared over and Narcissa wondered how the young woman saw the world around her. Her questions were answered when the young woman but her hands up; an eye on each of her palms was opened. The eyes inspected her and Rhea moved forward to sit on the chair opposite of Narcissa.

"Oh, I know who you are—wife to Lucius Malfoy II and mother to Draco Lucius Malfoy. Your father is Cygnus Black and your mother is Druella Rosier. You attended Hogwarts and were in the Slytherin household and you are the youngest of three sisters in your family. Oh, I know all about you Narcissa Malfoy," the woman said.

Narcissa was biting her cheek and screaming inside. Now she knew why Lucius had begged her to not attend this woman. He had seen her once when they were in Hogwarts; he had gone when Voldemort had come to him with the proposition of becoming a Death Eater. He wasn't sure how his future would go and without thinking of what it would do went to see her. He had told Narcissa the horror story that she told him.

"You know all about me, so then tell me what I wish to hear," Narcissa urged.

"I know what you wish to hear, but it is not the same as what you must hear. Do you understand that?" Madam Rhea thundered. It only irritated Narcissa; she didn't like to be talked back too and especially not by some half-blood seer.

"Then what must I hear? I want to keep my family safe," Narcissa said.

"Even the one who is beneath you, this is the calm my dear. Everything you know will end and the lines will become blurred with who is friend and who is foe. Do you really wish to ruin the balance your life is in over someone like a Mudblood?" Rhea questioned.

"_She_ is not a Mudblood," Narcissa snapped back at her, "she is a divine witch. You should know better than anyone what she is capable of."

"There is the fire that will save you, do you wish to hear your prophecy?" she laughed. The grin that the woman had on her face was sickening. She licked her fingers and slowly dipped it in her tea and began to swirl it gently.

The woman's face became blank and she placed one of her hands in the air, the eye in her palm blinking rapidly and soon the iris went away and it glossed over. The veins in her hand began to creep around the eye when she started speaking. Her voice seemed different and echoed around the room.

"_I see you. When the Goddess and Stag meet, he shall meet in her in blood and moss! His divine sacrifice is the spilling blood of hundreds for the next goddess of Avalon. He forgets not and her one job to destroy the blood. A Wolf and Stag meet, but order must be restored; one may not live while the other is alive—_

"Forget, you must forget." The woman chanted and shook her head from side to side.

"No please keep going," Narcissa begged her.

The woman sighed and continued on with her prophecy, "_Blood of my blood forgive these fools for they know not what they do. Surrender to the silver stag for it knows—it knows_!"

"What does that mean?" Narcissa asked.

"You will know what it means when the dragons fire fades. You will be the Christian Judas and betray the one you must not and kiss his cheek with your dirty lips. You will deny him thrice! You shall set up the last battle," Rhea warned her.

"The lord is back, come to deliver a magical race. You are in too far and I see where your alliances are. Your Mudblood will be safe, but not survive without battle scars. Your son, I cannot say—his future changes too much. He battles himself—go now, I must not say another word," she prattled. She flicked her wrist and opened the door into Knockturn Alley.

Narcissa didn't say a word and pulled the hood up of her cloak before disappearing into the alleyway in the middle of the night.

"You know what you must do Narcissa Malfoy," a voice called out from the shop but Narcissa didn't stop walking away from the building. She apparated silently to the Manor; she didn't know if the Prophecy was going to help or make things worse for them.

She could only pray to the goddess that it was the first.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for all of the reviews and support. I know it may seem like it's going a bit slow at the moment and that this chapter was short, but it's just setting up the structure before I let Godzilla come and destroy it all (in a good way). <strong>

**This may sound weird but I'd like you to review if you understand or don't understand the religion and tradition that I'm trying to explain. I want to know how I can improve of what more I can explain in future chapters to make it easier on the readers. **

**K  
>XXX<strong>


	8. VIII

**Beltane Night**  
><em>VIII: Spring Charm<em>

They sat in the grass and watched as Narcissa and Lucius fooled around while putting up the last minute decorations. It was a tradition for them to do it together so Draco and Hermione were left to their own world. Instead of going inside they opted to sit out in the meadow behind the Manor to watch the couple.

Narcissa had told Hermione that it was tradition for them to finish up everything and they were currently putting wards up around the forest while Narcissa chased Lucius with a daisy chain.

"They look happy," Hermione said out loud.

"They do, but it's like that every year. Father lets her get away with anything even if it's chasing him. He'd never show it in public but he dotes on her more than I've seen any other husband," Draco commented.

"It's refreshing—I hope I'm that lucky," Hermione sighed and laid back on the meadow and started to weave a few of the daisies that Draco picked for her. They had a pattern down. He would pick a few daisies every few minutes and drop them on her stomach; she began to weave the daisy chain silently. The wind was light and the fresh smell of spring flowers was heavy in the air.

"I hope for that too," he mumbled to himself. Hermione picked her head up and looked over at the blonde. She had never heard him speak about his future much, let alone his love life. She had always assumed he dated around, though she only saw a few of the women in the paper. Once Narcissa had caught wind she knew he had been spoken too about that.

"Maybe if they make that a tradition then we should make it a tradition to watch them, and maybe ridicule your father for actually letting her weave those roses through his hair," Hermione laughed and watched as Lucius spun Narcissa through the very beginning of the forests edge. They were happy to dance to no music.

"I could agree to that, though next time food is something that we need," he groaned.

"Food is always an option," Hermione smiled.

She weaved the flowers and smiled when she saw Lucius and Narcissa actually working. He looked upset by the fact he would actually have to do some work. She had gotten him to start erecting the may pole after she attached the ribbons for the may pole dance.

Hermione considered her question a moment before she asked "was he always like this?"

"Lucius?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," she said.

"He wasn't always like this, it's been better the past few years. He had higher expectations of me back then in Hogwarts. I was supposed to be married by now to a pure-blood witch and start heading the company for certain," he sighed out.

"What changed his mind about marriage?" She questioned.

"You told my mother in our summer after second year that you thought it was barbaric. She threw a plate at my father's head third year when he tried to get her to sign a contract to the Parkinson's. Let's just say that the rest was history with marriage—he's never brought it up again unless to remind me that I'll have our Malfoy ring to propose when I want," Draco said and shrugged. Hermione realized that he must not have given it a lot of thought, marriage.

"Are you planning on it anytime soon?" She asked.

"You sure are nosey—"

"I'm just curious; we've never had a civilized conversation for more than a few minutes. We were doing so well until you pointed that out," Hermione interrupted.

"Fine, if you must know. I don't plan on it anytime soon. I'm sure after tomorrow I'll probably want to be with the witch I've been given to by the goddess, but I don't want marriage right away. What about you?" she watched him carefully as he turned his head in the grass to look over at her.

"I don't know, but I haven't given it a lot of thought either. I'm more concerned with my career thought I do know that I want kids," she said thoughtfully.

"Don't kids normally mean a boyfriend or husband, Granger?" Draco laughed.

"Maybe or I could just get knocked up when I want and raise a kid on my own—single moms are all over the place. Not exactly the best, but I don't need anyone. I want to be with someone because I want too," she quipped. She knew the moment I came out of her mouth it sounded stupid but it was just a random thought.

"Point taken, just don't give my mother a heart attack if you come here an unwed mother. What's that Muggle saying, a shot gun wedding?" he asked.

"Oh look—you're learning!" Hermione teased.

"What was it like growing up where you were?" He asked her. He knew her parents were killed but he didn't know how. She had never told anyone about what had happened to them.

"It was good at first, with my parent's it was all about being a family. In the orphanage it was different. I had to adjust myself. I didn't stay in one orphanage for too long. I was getting older and couples don't adopt older children especially girls. I did have some friends though—and on Christmas we'd lie under the Christmas tree and watch the lights twinkle," Hermione laughed. It was a silly thing that they did, but it made her happy and it was a tradition she still carried out to this day.

"Is that why you dragged mother under it the first year?" He asked her.

"It's an experience— it's just in your face colour. She was always up for trying things for me and it's something her and I like to do now," she smiled.

"Maybe I'll have to see what it's all about," he mused.

"Maybe you should," she replied and threw a daisy at him. It landed on his face and he gently blew it into the air.

"What other expectations did your father have of you?" She questioned and placed one of her flower crowns on her own head and went to work on weaving another.

"Do you mean besides becoming a Death Eater?" He laughed.

"That's not very funny," she hissed out at him and slapped his arm. She didn't find anything funny about having to become a Death Eater.

He laughed still and it only made her frown harder, "Granger, I've grown up with knowing what I would become my whole life. The fact that I'm sitting here with a Muggle-born is something to laugh at. You've come into my life and completely turned it upside down. I grew up and was taught to worship Riddle's ideals. Though, how I was supposed to worship a half-blood, I have no clue," he sighed.

"I did not flip your life around," she told him.

"Yes, you did. You came in at eleven years old and everything my life was planned out to be did a one eighty. My mother was so enthralled with you and soon you went from a fascinating girl who was Muggle-born to an amazing witch in her eyes. You've made her reconsider everything. Hell, my father has some sort of respect for you even," he pointed out and lifted himself up onto his elbows.

"It's not that simple, she's obviously had the fruit for thought before me," Hermione blushed.

"No…you aren't getting out of this Granger. You have single handedly messed up my intended life. I'm grateful for it, but it's bloody confusing," he replied honestly.

They stayed silent in the meadow for a few moments, the wind rustling the flowers around them and the distant laughter of his parents could be heard. She didn't know what to say to that; what could she possibly say? There were questions that she needed to know and other's that could wait but she was always filled with questions.

"Did you always hate me?" she whispered.

"I don't think you really want to know the answer to that, Granger, you may not like what you hear," he said decidedly.

"Tell me," she said, "I'm a big girl—I can handle it. I'm used to it."

"Yes, I hated you. At first it was because I thought you were beneath me—nothing but a no good Mudblood. Then I didn't hate you for that, but I hated you for outdoing me in everything. I was born into a pure blood family and you made my father cross with me.

"I can't lie and say I didn't hate you, but not all of it was because of your blood. You also held my mother's attention for far longer than I wanted. Obviously I'm okay with sharing now, but it just took some time to get adjusted to," he told her honestly. She took it all into consideration for a few moments; he had hated her for her blood but it became about her academics later.

"So, is this you finally admitting that I'm smarter?" she teased finally.

"Smarter? I think you just got lucky—the teachers just were fond of you," he snorted.

She started to laugh and covered her mouth, "I think someone is jealous," she sang.

The silence that surrounded them was comfortable and she had finished off the final daisy chain. She sat up and dropped it on Draco's head with confidence. He just peeked up at her from behind his hair and glared.

"Now why do you have to go and ruin things?" he asked.

Hermione snorted at that, "I think you look like a beautiful siren with it, you should wear it to Beltane," she smiled.

"If you keep calling me beautiful Granger I may think you fancy me," he quipped.

"Then you're stupider than I was giving you credit for, so don't prove me wrong," she smirked. Conversation went smoothly between them. They began talking about other traditions that happened in both of their worlds. Hermione taught him about Easter and how things were in Muggle London. She told him about how a big bunny was supposed to come and bring them chocolates, however it was really about Jesus coming back to life.

He shared with her his traditions like Samhain and Mabon, the holidays that they celebrated each year. During Samhain they had women who threw apple peals behind them to see their soul mates first letter of their name. Mabon was used for wine making and learning about the balance of the world.

They were talking animatedly by the end of the conversation and Hermione caught Narcissa glancing at them every so often.

She never realized how much she and Draco did have in common until then. They both had a lust for learning and while she tended to stray towards magical creatures he was more inclined to potions and the dark arts. It was what he grew up with and he had a special affinity for them, he was an exceptionally gifted wizard.

When they argued their words were fueled with passion as they made their points. They were passionate and intelligent. Essentially they were almost the same and the stubbornness that they had along with their pride was a shared fault. Hermione recognized it in both of them, and as much as she wished that they weren't the same—the only difference were how they were brought up to a degree.

He was shoved into this life with a silver spoon in his mouth and she was orphaned and poor growing up. He then faced challenges with having family filled with murderers and she learned to be alone—the only comfort she could afford were the books at the library that she checked out.

Their ideals were different and he still held his prejudice against others, he firmly believed that magic should be kept within the magical community. She understood, but she made no excuses for him when they argued about Voldemort's desire eradicate an entire division of people.

"You cannot think I'm that gullible, you did not fall out of the Manor window!" Hermione laughed.

Draco was chuckling softly too and wiped his hand over his face, "I did, I was watching the Beltane festival and when I saw faeries in the woods I leaned out to far and fell—It was a piss poor landing too. I ended up in the bushes and Mother was so upset with me, she boarded up the windows every night after it until I wasn't inclined to try to sneak a peek," he told her.

"Well what did you see?" Hermione pushed him.

"It was strange, everyone was in masks and everyone had placed glamour charms on themselves. You could hear the music distinctly and before I fell out of the window I saw the High Priestess giving a small speech to the women. I was able to locate my mother—I'd seen her mask before—and she was painting my father's face with blood…." he trailed off.

"Painted his face with blood? I swear this holiday gets stranger," she shivered.

"Well yeah, it's a symbol of fertility. Most of the pure blood's used this as a tradition to check if their matches were right. In the beginning though you were never supposed to know who you were with. We have the option now to ask to see their face afterwards, but before you never knew who your partner at Beltane was," he told her.

"I thought you were going to try to marry the girl you would have—relations with," she said.

"I want too, but that's because she's supposed to be my equal. Potter and Red have been together so this is them checking if their marriage would be valuable to them. If you don't have a partner normally you leave it unless you are actively looking for an engagement.

"Back in the day, children who came from Beltane weren't considered bastards. It was alright for women, especially of high status—to have them," he replied.

That had made more sense to her, and she had read about certain privileges that Beltane rites gave women who had conceived.

"So, if the man I'm with is not actively searching for a wife than I might not know who he is?" Hermione asked.

"It's possible, but he'd be bloody nuts to pass up the brightest witch of her age," Draco teased her and she pushed him over into the dirt.

She asked, "Do you think you're well trained?"

"Don't insult my intelligence, I'm probably the most trained out of everyone you know," he started to whisper the last part, "Mum wants me to marry the witch I meet tomorrow, but I don't know if I want to see her face. There's something about it being in secre—"

"Children! We need to go now," Narcissa yelled from across the field. She had pulled up her dress and sprinted towards them with Lucius.

Narcissa pulled Hermione up and quickly started pushing her towards the house.

"What's wrong?" Hermione questioned her.

"Its sun down and you two are not allowed to see each other, it's a rule. You have to wait until Beltane to talk to each other, now is the prepping period," Narcissa said as she pulled them apart and started walking with Hermione towards her wing of the house.

Hermione looked back to see Draco staring at her as his father shoved him towards their wing for the night. She wanted to giggle but figured Narcissa might reprimand her for it.

"Come my love," Narcissa smiles and pulls her over towards the bath they had set up. Rose petals were on the surface of the water and it rippled slightly when Hermione dipped her finger in the warm water. She blushed when Narcissa encouraged her to undress and get in, and to give her privacy she went to fetch the potions that were needed.

Hermione looked around the room before pulling off of her clothes. She slipped into the old fashioned tub and leaned back, the water was tinted so no one could see anything, and she was thankful for magic. She sank under the rose water and lifted her head out, her hair was dripping wet.

Narcissa returned and handed Hermione a vile of Gryffindor red potion.

"This is what we brewed together," she motioned for her to drink it and sat behind Hermione and began to untangle and brush her hair out.

"Thank you," Hermione said and bit her lip.

"You never have to thank me, now it's time for me to tell you the basics of what you will experience tomorrow, do you think you're ready?" Narcissa questioned.

"Yes, I've made my decision," Hermione knew what she was referring to.

Narcissa let out a sigh of happiness and proceeded to brush her hair before talking, "I know its archaic thinking but this is our world. During Beltane you will be able to mingle with everyone in the morning and afternoon. You can dance and do whatever you feel the desire to do. During this time is when the men will be looking for you, but they are not allowed to make any moves on you—so if this happens you must tell me. During the night is when things get a little more interesting, you will feel desire for a certain stag and it's your job to entice him a bit. He will know it's for him and when it's time you will be sent into the forest and faeries will guide you to where you are meant to be.

"Men are not to couple with a woman until he has killed his stag, and only then may he hunt the forest for his maiden—you see the faeries are leading the stag you are meant to be with to you. During this time it's alright and if you accept him then it's perfectly acceptable to make love," Narcissa smiled and handed Hermione another potion.

"What's this one for?" she questioned.

"This is for good skin and it's like a witch's birth control, I know you have your career and with things going as they are—we don't need that," Narcissa smiled.

Hermione took it quickly and drank it all down before Mitzi appeared in the room with a small box and handed it over to Narcissa.

"Are you going to propose?" Hermione joked.

"No, but this was my mother's first mask and my grandmother's first mask. I don't have a daughter and I'd like this to be your first mask and for you to pass it down to your daughter," Narcissa smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Hermione sat up in the tub and when she opened up the container her breath caught in her throat. It was a beautiful black mask with small dangling gems hanging off the underside of the mask. The mask looked old and was probably wood that was charmed by magic. The designs were intricate and carved into the wood; it made it look delicate and beautiful.

"I love it," she whispered and touched the carved wood.

"I hope that it brings you luck, my love," she leaned down and kissed Hermione's forehead before pulling the mask away and grabbing a robe from her vanity and handing it to Hermione. She blushed and took the Robe and stood up and brought the silk robe over her body and tied it tight around her. She was swimming in it due to the height difference between Narcissa and her.

"I also have your dresses in the bedroom—do you want to see them?" she asked.

"Of course!" Hermione said excitedly. Her hands clapped together and Narcissa took her by the hand and led her through a series of rooms until she got to a bedroom. Inside she opened up a wardrobe and pulled out two garment bags; she put them both on the doors so that she could reveal them.

"Close your eyes," Narcissa ordered.

Hermione obeyed without question and when Narcissa told her to open she saw two of the most gorgeous dresses in the world. One was green with gold thread weaved through it and the best. It looked like a vintage sun dress. The other covered her completely but was see through, the lavender was beautiful. It looked like it hung perfectly from the collar which would fall right at the base of her neck. It was flowing and reminded her of a nymph.

"Narcissa, you have out done yourself. These are—there are just no words," Hermione explained.

"You'll look beautiful in them—I know that you'll make them shine," Narcissa stated confidently. Hermione let her fingers run over the soft fabric of the dresses and her smile widened. She loved them both and she was now allowed to wear them to every Beltane.

"What do we have to do now?" Hermione asked.

Narcissa took out what looked like a paint brush and a jar of ink and sat on top of the bed. Hermione got up on the large four poster bed with her and sat next to Narcissa.

"Now we get to paint you, we borrowed the tradition from Indian witches from a while ago, they were so beautiful and it gave us freedom to express ourselves. They're quite beautiful and we like to honor our goddess with beautiful things," Narcissa told her as she dragged the brush through the ink and began to paint Hermione's skin in intricate and beautiful swirls and designs. The ink, laced with magic, began to paint itself on her skin lightly up to her elbows and Narcissa did the same designs on her feet.

Hermione's eyes widened and she traced the patterns on her feet with her hands, air between them so she didn't smudge them.

The designs were like listening to soft music as it swirled. She felt like a little kid again but in reality; this was her step into with womanhood.

_"Ere frost-flower and snow-blossom faded and fell, __  
><em>_ and the splendor of winter had passed out of sight,__  
><em>_The ways of the woodlands were fairer and stranger _

Hermione closed her eyes as she listened to Narcissa sing. She had a lovely singing voice, but then again most women of her class did. It was something that was taught to them; at least that was what Narcissa had told her.

"_than dreams that fulfill us in sleep with delight;__  
><em>_The breath of the mouths of the winds had hardened on tree-tops __  
><em>_and branches that glittered and swayed."_

Hermione stared at herself in the vanity mirror as Narcissa still sang and she let her thoughts wander to tomorrow.

She had a feeling that everything would change.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm so excited to share this with you all and a lot of you have responded to understanding the tradition so I'm going to stop forcing it down your throat. Who's excited for Beltane? I know I'm excited to write it and share it with you all! <strong>

**To make sure everything is clarified. They are celebrating a Wiccan holiday but it's also a Pagan holiday. However specifically I am having them celebrate it the Wiccan way and adding my own traditions to it so that it fits better with the story. Thank you all for Reviewing and Reading! **

**K**

**XXX**


	9. IX

**Beltane Night**  
><em>IX: Mother Earth<em>

They were enjoying a simple breakfast, toast with eggs. Narcissa had the paper opened and Hermione was gingerly pushing her eggs around on her plate. Her nervous stomach kept her from eating, she wasn't sure that she wouldn't get sick afterwards. She was completely nervous about tonight. This would be her first real time she would participate in a tradition that was meant for witches and wizards. She feared that she would end up screwing things up and that she would end up embarrassing herself and Narcissa.

She began to wandlessly stir her tea while she tried to look at everything else in the room besides her breakfast and Narcissa. It was her defense mechanism when she was scared—and she fully admitted it to herself that she was scared of what would happen. Anything could go wrong and as much as she wanted to enjoy like she promised Harry, her brain was working in overtime.

"Dear…" Narcissa trailed off, "you're doing it again."

Hermione didn't answer her but looked her way, her pointer finger now twirling quicker than before. Her tea began to slosh out of the sides and roll down onto the saucer. Narcissa raised one of her pristine brows before placing the Daily Prophet down on the table and shifting herself to face Hermione.

"What has you like this? I told you that everything would be—"

"What if it's not fine?" Hermione questioned.

"You aren't giving yourself enough credit, sweetheart you know it will be fine," Narcissa insisted and grabbed Hermione's hand in hers. The tea finally stopped twirling around in the glass and its abuse was put to rest.

"I—I just don't know," she stuttered out.

"Hermione, what is this really about? Are you that nervous about who you'll end up with?" Narcissa asked her. Hermione hesitated for a moment before nodding her head and looking down at her plate ashamed.

"Hermione, you have blossomed into a smart and beautiful woman. The goddess will choose someone who is right for you, have some faith my dear," Narcissa consoled her and rubbed soothing circles on the back of her hand.

"You're right, I'm freaking out over nothing—it's just strange," Hermione acknowledged.

"I know it is, but everything will work out how it's supposed to," she smiled. Hermione finally gave her first smile of the day and Narcissa dropped her hand and motioned for Hermione to eat her breakfast.

Hermione started to finally eat until Narcissa told her that she would owl the Weasley's so that she and her friend go get dressed together and socialize before the party. Narcissa didn't even look up from her paper and acted as if it was the sanest thing in the world. It made Hermione smile on the inside, knowing that her family was getting along—that's what they were now. They really were her only family.

Hermione ate her breakfast and finished before sending out the family owl to the Weasleys. She knew they would end up getting here quick, Ginny was a bag of nerves just like her and their presence would at least calm each other.

Narcissa and she did dishes the muggle way, Hermione knew that it wasn't like Narcissa to do it but, she knew the witch was trying to keep her busy until her friend arrived. She could have kissed her for that. She was always considerate of her feelings—especially when it came to things like this.

The owl returned shortly later when they had finally finished the dishes and there was a crack on the property. Alarms went off throughout the mansion and Narcissa quickly turned them off with a flick of her wand. No one was allowed to apparate on the property without it sending off alarms, unless they were part of the Malfoy line.

"Come on, my dear, let's go greet them," Narcissa gave her a knowing smile and started walking towards the entrance of the mansion. Hermione was hot on her tail and Mitzi had already opened the door so when Hermione saw Ginny she ran across the foyer to embrace her friend.

"Thank god you're finally here, I've been jumping out of my skin," Hermione whispered to her.

"I imagine, you spoke so fast with your patronus—I could hardly understand if you were asking us to come or not. Good thing I speak Hermione," Ginny teased.

"At least now you're out of the house so all of the boys can stay inside," Hermione replied.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe them—they pitched a huge fit when mum told them they all had to leave. At least they'll never have to be bothered with it after this, until one of them has a daughter," Ginny replied and hooked her arm through Hermione's as they turned to look at the two older witches engaging in quiet conversation.

"Thank you for inviting us over this afternoon, Mrs. Malfoy—my mother and I appreciate it a lot," she told Narcissa.

"Anything for Hermione, besides I'm sure she'd much rather have at least someone her age she can talk too. I want her to have the full experience. It's always nicer to get ready with your sisters. Andromeda did my hair for my Beltane and helped me with everything—it was like joining a secret club when I was your age," Narcissa rambled on and shrugged her shoulders finally. Hermione noticed how she was starting to slowly let her mask slip from her face and she felt pride.

She felt pride that her mother figure was trusting Ginny enough to create casual conversation with her and give a piece of her history up.

"Well, we shouldn't let them wait any longer. Let's get you girls into your dresses and ready for tonight. Where are we dressing them," Molly asked sweetly. The smile on her face hadn't disappeared—her prejudices put aside for the night for her girls.

"We shall be dressing them upstairs in Hermione's bedroom, it has a lovely balcony that overlooks the grounds and we can always poke fun at the boys while they work," Narcissa started walking towards the stairs and gave Hermione a wink.

Ginny gave Hermione a pointed look as well—but molly was in her own world as she prattled on about dresses and the excitement of tonight while Narcissa listened, while they all made their way up towards Hermione's room.

"Your room here is as big as both of our apartments combined," Ginny hissed.

Hermione nodded her head towards her friend, "I know—I've told her before that it doesn't need to be this big since I don't even live here but she insists."

The matron's quickly pushed each of their younger witches behind their fold out curtains and told them to begin undressing. The girls rolled their eyes at each other when they peaked behind the curtain and started to undress. They each listened to the older women chat about the dresses.

"Where did you get yours," Molly asked sweetly. The sugar was dripping from her voice.

"I made it—we have a standard tradition to make both of their dresses. Her night dress is hanging up in my closet though since when it's time to dress she'll be using my room while the other ladies are free to use the rest of the wing. Though of course this room will be locked unless you and Ginny would like to use it?" Narcissa asked politely, though her tone was smug.

Ginny quickly peaked her head from around the corner before her mother could answer, "That would be lovely, thank you Mrs. Malfoy."

"You are most welcome dear, you've definitely raised your daughter to have quite some manners—every time I see her she's nothing but a lady," Narcissa complimented Molly. It made Hermione smile while she finally got off her shoes and pants.

"That she is…" Molly trailed off.

"Where did you purchase your gown from, Molly?" Narcissa pursed her lips and sat on part of the couch that was in the room. She had tossed Hermione's dress over the curtain much like Molly had done for Ginny. The girls would come out when they needed it laced.

"Twillfit and Tatting's," Molly said with her head held high.

"Impressive, they have lovely dresses as always—"

"Mum, could you help me?" Ginny called out and Molly disappeared behind the curtain for her daughter.

Narcissa got up slowly and walked towards Hermione's curtain.

"My love, do you need help?" She questioned.

Hermione nodded behind the curtain, "Please."

Narcissa quickly stepped behind the curtain and a few stray tears came to her eyes. Hermione was wearing a dress very much similar to hers and even in dark green trim around the bottom and the ribbon that would be tied around her waist. The rest of the dress was a beautiful off white color and she had never seen Hermione glow so much.

"You're so beautiful," she sniffed and instructed Hermione to turn around. Narcissa laced up the dark green ribbon that was on the back of her dress like a corset.

Hermione smiled when she finally emerged with Narcissa from behind the curtain and she stared at herself in the mirror. She looked like she was slowly being transformed into a different time.

"Oh, Mione!" She turned and saw Ginny dressed in a similar fashion while the older witches left to go get changed into their own dressing gowns.

"You look amazing, Gin—I'm speechless," Hermione spoke softly.

Ginny waved her off and laughed, "You're speechless—have you seen you? You look like a goddess, all you need are a few braids and flowers in your hair and you could probably be almost as beautiful as the mother goddess herself. In an eerie way you resemble one of her human forms," Ginny laughed and twirled around for Hermione to take a better look at her dress.

"I'm enjoying the Slytherin green on you—but, where is your house pride," Ginny teased her again.

"I have plenty, but did you see Narcissa—we match. I think it makes her feel better to have someone to share it with," Hermione spoke softly and smiled after looking towards the door. She was glad to share something with Narcissa.

"Oh, every time I see you I lose my breath, Hermione," Narcissa said when she came through the doorway a few moments later. She was fully dressed now with everything in place and quickly brought out her wand to charm the girl's feet.

"Unlike the men, we are allowed to use charms—Ginny has your mother done this yet?" Narcissa asked.

"No, I didn't even know that there was a charm for it," Ginny said astonished.

"It's a little thing I picked up from Andromeda. Let me," she pointed her wand at Ginny's feet and soon a warmth spread across her feet encasing them. "That should help both if you when you're in the woods and out in the field. No women are allowed to wear shoes," Narcissa said again apologetically.

"It's alright—the charm comes in handy," Hermione smiled and twirled around and tested out the charm. It felt like she had comfy shoes on but in fact she was still bare footed.

Molly arrived a few minutes after and they each sat down on the bed while Narcissa did Hermione's makeup and fixed up her hair. She put a few braids in it at random but for the most part she made it large and curly. She stuck flowers throughout her hair and magically weaved them in so that they would stay in place.

"You really do look like a goddess, Mione it's going to be hard to keep all of the men away from you," Ginny teased her.

"Oh speak for yourself Miss Weasley, Harry is going to be panting like Remus when he sees you," Hermione teased back. The girls giggled and finally they were finished prepping themselves after Narcissa gave Hermione one of the potions that she had brewed herself.

"It has properties of Amortenia, it will attract the magic of a person who is your equal—but they are not allowed to try anything," Narcissa instructed, "I wonder how the bonfire is coming along—care to yell at them with me?" Narcissa asked.

"A chance to tell Lucius and Draco to hurry their work up? Narcissa are you sure it isn't my birthday today?" Hermione asked and Narcissa slapped her upper arm lightly.

"Cheeky," she laughed.

Both of the witches made it out onto the balcony and Hermione stopped a few feet from the edge. Lucius was walking with Draco. His hair was tucked into a long pony tail and they both were in their dark black shirts and leather pants. It reminded Hermione of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy's choice of clothing on his long walk back to Elizabeth's house.

Narcissa had put her wand to her throat and enhanced her voice when she yelled over the balcony for the men to hurry up, the guests would be arriving soon.

Hermione still couldn't take her eyes off him though—he looked so different, older almost. When the men looked up she quickly turned her head, she would have been caught staring and the look she had on her face was not a friendly smile.

"You can ogle him later you know—but for now we have to go—I heard a crack so it must mean someone has arrived," Narcissa smirked.

Walking swiftly through the house they made it downstairs and Hermione could see the house elves going through the house getting things ready.

"Mitiz. Winky! I have something for you two," Hermione shouted when she saw them working. They looked over at her before walking over and Hermione used her wandless magic to summon both of the flower crowns that she had made.

"Every girl should feel beautiful today," she told them and placed them each on their heads.

"Thank you missus!" both exclaimed and she hugged them quickly and complimented Mitzi on her choice of eyelashes for today.

"Is that alright of her to do that to your house elves?" Molly asked surprised.

"We give Hermione anything she wants, she's part of the family—even if it's not by blood or by name as of yet. She'll get whatever her heart desires and even both of my boys know that. They already accuse me of having favoritism, but can you blame me?" Narcissa smirked before walking away and out towards the back yard.

Hermione knew what everyone thought of Narcissa, and she also knew what Narcissa thought of everyone who thought they knew of her. She detested them for their blatant lack of knowledge. People made up their minds based on what they saw in the news.

She knew that was why Narcissa kept up her mask.

Time had passed and women were apparating left and right and some others were coming by floo network. It was amazing to see everyone all dressed up and Narciassa greeted each and every one with Hermione by her side. A few had given her looks but when Narcissa wrapped her arm around Hermione's figure and introduced her as her daughter for the night they cowered like children and baby dogs.

A few ran licking their wounds when they tried to make any underhanded insult.

The band had been striked up and they played music that was upbeat and meant for dancing. Hermione became fidgety when she didn't see any of the boys her age around. She had yet to see Harry or Ron anywhere.

"Pansy! How are you my dear?" Narcissa questioned her and Hermione was drawn from her search back to where she was.

"I've been around—I've been touring Europe with my mother and getting my designs out there actually. Granger, how are you?" Pansy asked with a smile. They hadn't been civil during school, but late one night after a few drinks they had bumped into each other at a tavern. Both coming from disappointing dates they had bonded over that night and gotten drunk and ended up at Hermione's flat.

Pansy never forgot and every once in a while they got together for coffee and see how the other was doing. After school, it seemed like old house rivalries were finally put to rest.

"I'm doing good, just finished my lastest book actually and I might have another one in the works after Beltane," Hermione laughed and Pansy quickly leaned up to give her a one armed hug. A drink already in the other hand.

"Are you looking forward to seeing anyone tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, you know me—I have had my eye on Blaise for a while. We met in Paris last weekend and I've been dying to see him again ever since. He sure knows how to sweet talk a woman when he wants," Pansy fanned herself with her free hand dramatically.

"So I've heard, your Slytherin boys had quite the reputation," Hermione laughed.

"They were the best, I'll see you later Granger—we'll catch up and dance!" Pansy declared and walked away towards the party. Hermione watched as she stalked through the dancers and she was in search of Blaise.

"Mione, don't you look beautiful!" She turned her head and saw Luna walking towards her.

"So do you, Luna—how have you been?" she asked.

Luna giggled, "Perfect—I've been with Neville looking for some rare plants that the dragons have been eating in Bulgaria. We've met up with Charlie Weasely for a bit. He and Neville have been getting along splendidly for the past few months. How they can focus on plants for now and not be at the beck and call of those dragons without being distracted is beyond me," Luna mused.

"I can't imagine—has Charlie ever told you about Norbert?" Hermione asked.

"Norbert? You mean Hagrid's dragon? No, we haven't actually discussed it. I think that might be one of the Dragons were supposed to be looking into though. I'll remember his name," she smiled.

"I'll let you get back to the party, have fun greeting guests!" Luna kissed Hermione's cheek and disappeared into the crowd. Hermione focused herself back on Narcissa and what was happening with her. She was still welcoming more guests and he seemed like half of Great Britain was there with them.

"Hermione, you should go and get your friend. Bring her to the forest—it's time for you each to go pick some flowers for the alter," Narcissa tells her and pushes her away from the entrance of the grounds.

"Yes, Narcissa," Hermione grinned and started her walk through the crowd. She found Molly and Ginny talking to Fleur and a few of the other women. Hermione tapped her shoulder and nodded her head towards the woods. The young women of the party were moving in the general direction as well.

"Are you nervous?" Ginny asked finally when they arrived at the edge of the forest.

Hermione bit her lip and peered through the woods and saw the rest of the girls out collecting herbs and moss that was growing, "Extremely—but if you tell anyone our friendship is over," Hermione said and looked down at the stump in front of them. She slowly picked the flowers that were growing around the roots.

"Me? Rat on you for being nervous—never. I am mostly nervous about not getting Harry. We know he's a strong wizard, but what if I'm not a strong enough witch," she sighed.

"Ginevra Weasley, where is the fiery red head we all know and love. You're one of the strongest witches I know," Hermione reassured her.

"No, you're the strongest witch we know," Ginny pointed out.

Hermione turned her head in the direction of a twig snapping and her eyes widened. The Goddess's games were just beginning and she was more than willing to play.

**/Okay, so I haven't updated in forever. I'm really so damn sorry. I've been dealing with a lot. Firstly if you follow me on tumblr at katwithlove then you know one of my OTP's has kind of just may have died so I've been so stuck on that and then to top it off my mother had a minor heart attack and we're dealing with her shit. **

**I'll try to update more often (I do have everything pre-written out and the plot line like where I want to go) However I haven't written it out. **

**Thank you all for who have stuck with the story and just. Thank you. **

**Xxx**

**K**


	10. X

**Beltane Night**  
><em>X: Hawthorne <em>

The twig snapped under one of the young men's foot. Hermione's head quickly snapped upwards searching for the sound. Ginny had gone quiet and slowly the young men started to step from behind the trees—she slowly realized that they were being surrounded by them. The sun was shining through the trees, illuminating the young wizards.

The scene was almost angelic. It looked like it was out of a pre-Raphaelite painting.

"Ginny, I think the women have set us up," she whispered to her friend slowly.

"I would have to agree," Ginny had whispered back to Hermione and they both slowly rose from their crouched position over the flowers and mushrooms that had been growing. Within the logs and under the mushrooms hid young fae who were curious about humans. Their small glowing lights were dimmed by the sun. Their basket filled with different kinds of sweet smelling flowers and fungi.

"Oi—you gave us a heart attack!" Millicent yelled out from their right towards the boys.

They laughed and one called back, "I doubt we could do that to you Mill— OW!" Goyle screamed out in pain.

"Have some respect Goyle!" Nott slapped his friend on the back of the head and it echoed through the magic filled forest.

"Listening to your feet crack everything on the ground makes me think you aren't as fit as you all think. How would some of your old houses like to see their chasers, seekers, and beaters out of shape?" Ginny retorted back.

"I don't know about them, but you bloody hell didn't hear me walking," Malfoy laughed. Hermione was taken back by his laugh—he seemed almost light in the way he was speaking. His demeanor was different. She didn't almost didn't recognize him with the carefree expression on his face as he was surrounded by his friends.

"We may not have heard you, but I'm sure the animals did. Your hunting may be off—good luck with that tonight. Your feet are louder than a Trolls," Hermione taunted back. She had a look of shock on her face after the words left her tongue, having implied that they would have a harder time finding a maiden to accept them.

She shared a look with Ginny for a moment.

Before she could say another word she picked up her skirt and turned on her heels and ran away. Her body was functioning on the rush of Adrenaline that was pumping through her veins. The Noise around her died down and she could hear her heart beat rapidly as she saw others dashing past her and out of the forest.

Her bare feet dug into the earth as her heart pounded in her chest. Her hair was flowing behind her and she gripped the fabric of her dress tighter as she made her way half across the field. Warm hands slowly wrapped around her waist as one crept forward around her stomach pulling her back against them. She was twirling in air by the time she blinked and her hands gripped at the arm around her stomach.

Hermione was stuck in that moment for what felt like an eon. She noticed that his cold breath against her neck felt like biting into a peppermint patty—cool and refreshing. He had soft and sparse hairs on his arms. Her back was plastered to his chest and her legs were swinging with him.

Turning her head to the side, she blinked slowly a few times before focusing on Draco's crisp blonde hair and sharp jaw.

"Shit," he mumbled as he slowly let her feet fall back to earth. She clung to his arm while her head was still spinning and he supported her. It took a few mere seconds for the world to stop spinning, but her heart was pounding in her ears making her feel light headed.

"Draco, that was—"

"I'm sorry, I guess spring got the better of me," Draco quickly apologized as he stepped back from her after she turned around to face him. Hermione could see the other couples out of the corner of her eyes going through the same motions as them. While other girls got away quicker and some men didn't feel like chasing for that long.

"You're almost like a deer, you moved so fast and I didn't think anyone would catch me," Hermione replied while ignoring his apology.

"Granger, I think you're starting to fancy me. First my beautiful face and now are you trying to say I'm graceful and quick?" Draco teased and they slowly began walking back towards the house—and the actual festivities with the older adults.

"Me? Now maybe you did really hit your head. I guess all deer's are born clumsy and fall down a few times in their lives. Let's not make fools of our self, Malfoy," Hermione dismissed with a hard red blush that crept over her cheeks. She looked over at Ginny who was hand in hand with Harry as they raced together towards the alter.

She couldn't help but think this was all new to Harry too, but he had Ginny to help guide him and share it together. Hermione was envious of that, and then she was brought back down to earth.

"Granger, I didn't mean anything by it—you have that look on your face again," he sighed.

"I'm not upset at you, just the circumstances—not everything is about you Draco Malfoy! I ignored your apology, simply because there is nothing to apologies about," she huffed and leaned down and plucked a small daisy from the ground, "here," she said. She placed the daisy in one of the holes of his shirt near his chest along with the cord that kept it closed. It really did remind her of Mr. Darcy's shirt from the famous scene after he walked miles to tell Elizabeth he was in love with her.

"Now you look like you really belong here, especially when you wear such dark clothes—this is a joyous occasion after all," Hermione smiled with her nose in the air.

"Such a know-it-all. We need to get you to Mother before she thinks you've been dragged off into the woods and eaten by a pack of wild hippogriffs," Draco motioned for them to walk faster and his hand hovering over the small of her back.

The crowd was rambunctious and the smell of booze and food was heavy in the air. Most made way when they saw Malfoy walking through and Hermione was able to get to Narcissa quicker than she would have on her own. There were witches and wizards there that she didn't recognize, many from other countries and even continents of the world.

"My Darlings, look at you! You both look so wonderful" Narcissa shouted happily from next to Lucius and a few wizards that Hermione didn't recognize.

"Thank you, Narcissa," Hermione smiled. When Narcissa approached her she placed her hand lovingly on her shoulder and squeezed tightly. Then Hermione looked deeper at Narcissa and understood—these were not good wizards.

"Draco, you and your father have some business to take care of. I want to return to my party—if it is not taken care of then I shall do it myself," she ordered harshly before kissing her son on the cheek. Hermione was almost afraid of her—almost. She gripped Narcissa's hand tightly and the two traveled through the dancing guests and children running around.

It took minutes for them to speak to one another as they removed themselves from the tense atmosphere.

"They will not cause you harm or any other muggle-born here," Narcissa stated as she took a glass from one of the servers and quickly brought it to her lips.

"Who are they?"

"That's Avery Jr. and my brother-in-law. Rudolphus Lestrange. Bella knows that she is not allowed at these events, we have appearances, but her husband is rather pushy. I'm surprised I haven't used any unforgivable on him. His manners are abhorrent," Narcissa spat with distain.

"I see…" Hermione trailed off.

"Why don't you go and take these to the alter?" Narcissa asked and gently pushed the basket of flowers from one of the tables into Hermione's hands. Hermione nodded and turned away from her to move towards the Alter.

She wasn't sure how to react to Narcissa, she almost seemed frightened by her own guests. She walked halfway there when a small boy latched himself onto her leg.

"Teddy!" she yelped in surprised and quickly leaned down to scoop him up and rest him on her hip as she walked towards the Alter still.

"Mione! Look! Look at what I can do!" he shouted at her and she placed the flowers at the base of the alter and wrapped her other arm firmly around Teddy so she could watch him.

"What can you do sweetie?" she asked sweetly. In seconds his hair was slowly changing from his dark hair, like Remus, to a beautiful blue color—almost the color of one of the flowers she had picked. He was a metamorphmagus like his mother.

"You are very talented," she replied and kissed him on his blue head, "I hope if I ever have a son that he will be talented like you," she smiled.

"Me?" Teddy asked in awe.

"Yes you! You are the brightest child I know," Hermione grinned and looked through the crowd to see Remus and Tonks dancing, but she could see Remus look over ever few seconds to make sure he saw Teddy.

"How would you like to dance?" Hermione asked him.

"Okay," the boy responded shyly. Hermione put him down and took his hand in hers as she brought him closer to his parents and slowly began dancing with him to the loud and up beat music. They both twirled around and laughed as the other would make a mistake. The silly dancing continued into three songs.

"May I cut in?" she heard Draco's voice behind them. He slowly emerged from the crowd of dancers parting them and stood next to Teddy and Hermione.

"You'll have to ask Teddy," she replied decidedly, "try to convince him."

Draco crouched down in front of him and put out his hand.

"I'm your second cousin, Draco. Do you think I could steal Miss Hermione for a Dance? I'll bring her back," Draco asked and Hermione was impressed. He was charming even with children.

"I don't know," the little boy put his hands up in the air and shrugged.

"Oh come on Teddy, don't keep the poor man waiting!" Tonks told her baby boy when they danced past him.

"Okay," he said in a small voice and Tonks and Remus picked him up so that he would be held between them as they danced. Hermione had seen that between parents and children many times—mainly at weddings and events like that. They made their child feel included.

When they were finally out of earshot Draco wiped the fake sweat off of his forehead, "that was hard work trying to ask you to dance—no more suitors like that. The kid will wear me out. He drove a hard bargain," Draco said sarcastically.

"Next time you'll have to bargain with Harry or Ron, so stop complaining," she told him. He pulled her near to him and supported her arms and began to dance with her. It was neat and calculated, she could tell he took dance classes—a tradition in most pureblood families.

It felt easy to them, the music flowed freely through them and he led her around the grassy dance floor. Their feet digging into the ground as they turned and then he would swing her away from his body to turn her multiple times.

The others their age were slowly invading the dance floor. Pansy had latched herself onto Blaise Zabini's arm. Hermione could tell she was already drunk on the wine and having a blast as she moved with uncertainty and not the usual grace that Pansy was known for.

Ginny was slow dancing with Harry in the middle of the floor, most likely whispering sweet nothings to each other. They were one of _those_ couples, but Hermione didn't blame them. Things were slowly becoming more tense in the wizarding world despite he-who-must-not-be-named not coming back. There was still a high possibility and after his followers had tried once to bring him back, the chances were even higher.

Hermione then noticed that Neville and Luna were dancing together and he was improvising as she danced something that probably wasn't even native to England or Scotland. She wanted to giggle and then her attention was back at the man staring at her.

"What?" she asked insecurely.

"Nothing, you look good Granger," Draco replied nonchalantly.

Hermione furrowed her brow and bit her lip in confusion, "where is the real Draco Malfoy and who are you?" she laughed.

"Don't take the compliment then, makes no difference to me—like I told you it's the spring air. It does funny things to wizards," he told her and twirled them around the dance floor. She felt like she was on a cloud of air, it could have been the charmed force that was under her feet or maybe just the feeling she had when dancing with him.

It was all new and exciting, but at the same time she felt huge reservations about the feelings. She didn't have time to even figure out what it meant.

"May I cut in?" she turned to look at Ron and was startled.

"Ronald," she said slowly.

"Can I cut in?" he asked again.

Hermione looked from Draco to Ron for a few moments before nodding her head, "of course." She let go of Draco and put her hand in Ron's. Her other arm stretched out without thought as Ron led her away and Draco was slowly losing contact with her hand until her finger tips fell away from his. He ran his fingers through his pale hair and shook his head before stalking away from the crowd. Hermione looked for him, but didn't see anything after that as Ron talked about Quidditch and his plans for the future. Plans that he was hinting she would be part of.

In the middle of his ramblings she was suffocating, "Ronald!" she shouted to get his attention and it gained the attention of a few people around them.

"What?"

"Do you know that I love you?" she asked him.

"I love you too," he replied—clearly to her missing her point.

She sighed and pulled him away from the dance floor and towards a more secluded area near the maypole. Only a few of the girls were dancing and swinging the beautiful strips of color around it, intertwining it.

"I love you Ronald—but not how I used too. If you had told me in fifth or even sixth year that you loved me back instead of snogging lavender I would have been head over heels. I did have a crush on you and then I learned to be just your friend Ron. I value us more than anything. What we have? It would be ruined by a relationship," she pleaded with him.

"What if you're wrong? What if this is exactly how it's supposed to be?" he asked her.

"After tonight, we'll know then—okay? If it's you then we'll give it a shot. This is only supposed to be a one-time thing anyway. We aren't supposed to actually form relationships with our partners—at least that's how it used to be. Just if it's not us then please just be my friend Ron," she asked him.

"Always," he promised her and pulled her into a bone crunching hug.

"Off of me you brute! You'll ruin my dress," she teased him and then took his hand in hers and pulled him towards the may pole.

Ginny, Hannah, and Luna were getting theirs ready and passed the strip of blue to Hermione. When the music started up again the girls danced and intertwined with their ribbons while the men stood around them clapping in rhythm with the songs. She found herself laughing and soon the girls were moving closer together as the ribbons became shorter. Hermione and Ginny became tangled together and both fell to the ground laughing.

"What are you two doing, we have drinking and dancing to do!" Lavender yelled at them happily as she lifted her cup and clanked it against Padme's.

"How about dancing, but without all the wine?" Ginny whispered in Hermione's ear. The girls giggled and slowly stood up and brushed their dresses off.

"Harry!" Hermione waved him over and when they saw Ron walking towards them Harry asked her to dance. She hadn't danced this much since the Yule ball and she went with Victor Krum. Even then she hadn't danced and twirled around like this—it was just in pure joy and hardly formal.

"Are you excited?" She asked Harry.

He chuckled for a moment, "don't you mean beyond nervous where I might throw up?" He asked her.

"You can't be that nervous, you've had more time than me to prepare for this," she scolded him. He just shook his head and pulled out a small band from his pocket and showed it to Hermione.

"You—You. No, you aren't going to—you are! Oh, Harry I don't even know what to say," Hermione slapped a hand over her mouth. She felt tears brimming on her eyes. Her best friend—her _brother_ was getting married.

"Don't tell anyone," he told her and quickly placed the ring back.

"I thought you were going to wait until after," Hermione whispered back as they resumed dancing.

He nodded his head, "I'm going to propose during—I know I'll get her. I can't wait until after. We live in a constant state of fear and I can't let another day pass by without her knowing that I want her to be Mrs. Potter," he told her.

"Harry! I'm so proud of you—she'll love it," Hermione sniffed and pulled him into a tight embrace. They swayed from side to side for a few moments as she buried her face into his shoulder. The reality of what was happening was setting in finally. They were all moving on, but things still didn't feel right.

"You know it's going to happen soon," he whispered to her as he cupped the back of her head.

"I know—I'm scared. I'm not scared for me though, I'm scared for you," Hermione confessed.

"The brightest witch of our age is scared for me? Well now you have me worried, before I was just a bit nervous," Harry joked and she nuzzled her face tighter against his shoulder.

"We'll do it right though? We'll figure it out together—we're family," she urged him as she withdrew her face from his shoulder and red angry tear marks stained her face. Harry was never good with women, and one crying in front of him would have frightened him if it wasn't Hermione. He brought the pads of his thumbs up to wipe her tears. They had stopped dancing in the middle of the floor and everyone twirled around them.

"We'll finish this together," he brought his hands down to hold hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. She felt guilt, she should have been the one to reassure him. Their relationship was close—to those who didn't know them it would have looked like a romantic interest. It was not that they had never thought about it. Harry could remember his slight crush on Hermione in the first year and that crush turned to awe and in that he found a friend. With that friendship he found a companion and that companion turned into familial love. The only woman he loved more than her was Ginny.

They understood each other though, they were the only family they had and if he could legally change her name to potter and officially make her a sister he would have. Hermione knew that.

"We're going to ruin the party and Narcissa will never forgive me," Hermione laughed with tears still in her eyes.

"No, she would. Come on, I see someone who wants to dance with you. I cannot believe I'm about to hand you off to Malfoy, but I am," Harry shook his head in amazement.

"Malfoy, I need to go talk to Ginny—mind keeping her entertained?" Harry called over to Draco who was standing on the outskirts off the crowd.

"Sure Potter," he called back and walked towards them.

Harry quickly pulled Hermione's forehead to his lips and gave her a chaste kiss, "If this Git gives you trouble, call me," He told her seriously as he left her to go find Ginny. Draco wandered over and quickly picked up her arms and wrapped his one arm around her waist.

"He calls me a Git, but you seem to be crying from him—typical Potter," Draco scowled.

Hermione pinched him, "He didn't make me cry—the circumstances that we were talking about did. Things aren't going to be the same Malfoy and you know that," she resorted to calling him Malfoy again.

"If you think I'm ignorant to that Granger than you don't deserve that silly title Dumbledore and the Minister gave you," he bit out.

Hermione could feel one of their age old fights coming on again, her temper was slowly boiling over the edge. Everything that had happened to them and after having to deal with Ron and the talk with Harry. She wanted to release her rage on someone.

"Why you pompous little prat, I think that you know a fight is coming on but you're ignoring it!" she hissed out at him.

"I hardly call having to deal with Death Eaters Ignoring it—we do protect you the best we can. The Death Eaters want you dead because of your blood. The only reason Bellatrix hasn't tortured you till you went mad is because my father and I—"

"Your father and you what?" she asked surprised.

"My father has high enough rankings in the death eaters that they won't touch you," he snapped at her, "don't you ever think why you haven't been targeted yet? You're Saint Potter's best Mudblood friend. We have Death Eaters that are just salivating at the mouth to get to you—but we don't let it happen," he told her.

"I knew they wanted me dead, but how active are they?" she whispered to him.

"More than you and the order will ever know. If you want the Dark Lord dead—you'll have to let the Death Eaters do their work in order to kill him or good. It wouldn't have been so terrible for them to have brought him back during the Tri-wizard Tournament. We would have been done with him then," Draco said lowly.

"Draco you need to tell the Order this," Hermione replied quickly.

"No, you know who is feeding them information already—things need to happen in order for this ticking time bomb to end," he implored.

"I still thi—"

"Granger, I know what you think. Think ahead of what you're thinking—think on the bigger scale. The only way Saint Potter is going to kill and rid the world of Voldemort is if he's alive and has his own body," Draco told her.

She wanted to punch him in his pretty face again for being right this time. She wanted to be rid of him—but the only way to do that was to let him have his own body again. The scowl on her face was enough for Narcissa to walk over with strips of Ribbon.

"No more serious talk, you two always debate about things and it ruins the atmosphere—go put your wishes on these and tie them to the Hawthorne tree!" Narcissa ordered and shoved the strips of Ribbons into their hands and handed them a quill.

The subject was effectively dropped. Hermione still didn't know what to think but at the foot of the old Hawthorne tree in the back yards that was filled with wishes and wants—she couldn't help but find peace there. She wrote each of her wishes on the corresponding strips.

Just for this day the war wouldn't touch them, she wouldn't think any more on it because it was their day. It was their day for something normal, even if it was to celebrate a Wizard tradition—that was her normal now.

She felt peace and calm go through her as she and Draco did not speak a single word, but they helped one another tie their strips of ribbon to the tree's branches. Today was not the day to fight, but tonight was the night she got to live.

**A/N: I will be updating this more frequently. Things are doing a lot better in my house and I now have more time to actually write. Also You might see that my username has changed-that now reflects my actual tumblr username and it makes things a lot easier for people trying to find me**


	11. XI

**Beltane Night**  
><em>XI: Where I Belong<em>

The air was filled with an intense magic that Hermione couldn't recognize while she sat out in the field of grass with a few of her girlfriends. Pansy was slowly settling down on drinking and Ginny was weaving flowers in Luna's long beautiful curly hair. Luna had no color preference, so Ginny was weaving flowers of every color, shape, and size into her hair. It reminded Hermione a great deal of Rapunzel.

She and Draco had given up their wishes to the Hawthorne tree and prayed—as per request of Narcissa. Hermione didn't know the first thing about a witch's prayer, but from knowing the Catholic Church she tried to format it something along those lines.

The moment her eyes had opened she felt a gush of air swarm around her, bringing a calming sensation. It was heartwarming and she felt that she could finally be at peace with everything that was happening. She could feel the warm arms of her mother and father and as she skipped back, away from Draco, towards her friends she had a smile on her face.

Ginny had a suspicious look on her when Hermione had joined them and then they were all relaxed. They chatted happily with many of the other women who were spread out, they had danced their feet off almost and most of them were tired.

The men were gathered around a large area of grass and egging each other on as they wrestled one another.

"Hermione, did you have that talk with my brother yet?" Ginny asked.

"I did—he seemed to be confused and finally I think he understood that I didn't want him in _that _way. He's lovely, but just not for me. I think he understands though—he's going to get a great girl," Hermione smiled as she twirled a daisy between her fingers.

"I swear mum is still convinced you'll become a Weasley, but I suspect that you have your eye on another?" Ginny whispered towards her and Luna laughed and turned around.

"Are you two just recognizing it now? He hasn't taken his eyes off 'Mione since sixth year," Luna told them as if he was the most obvious thing in the world. She was off in her own world once more and started to talk about the mythical creatures that enjoyed coming out during Beltane and how they influenced the spring air.

"Please tell me she isn't trying to set me up with another Weasley?" Hermione laughed. She loved the family dearly, but every Weasley was already perfectly matched for them.

"Oh please, do you remember fourth year? You had such a crush on Fred that it was hilarious. He's just an oblivious git who couldn't get it together before your eyes wandered," Ginny teased. She did have a large crush on the older Weasley. Ginny told her that if they were ever get together it would remind her of James and Lily. It would have been history repeating itself once again—but in this case she was very much fancying the Snape of this century.

"You have your point, but the time is passed and we're at the celebration of love—if I'm meant for a Weasley then it's a Weasley I will have," she winked at her friend and Ginny only rolled her eyes.

"You seem very determined that she has a thing for Malfoy," Pansy said relaxed as she fanned herself.

Hermione huffed lightly before crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned up to look at her friend who was sprawled across the grass. "I do not have a thing for him, if anything he's got one for me. You heard Luna," Hermione protested.

"Oh come off it Granger, you both have so much sexual tension that I could cut it with a balloon. It's ready to snap at any time," Pansy looked up at her smirking.

"Loathing is not sexual tension—he rubs me the wrong way and he's a right prat. I just happen to be one of the few who don't do everything he says and treat him like some god," Hermione defended herself.

"—and it turns him on," Luna said joining the conversation again.

"Looney I like the way you think," Pansy smiled.

"Thank you Pansy," she smiled.

"You are all being ridiculous—why does everything have to be about lust and fancying the other. Maybe I do actually enjoy our arguments. He's not a complete nutter and he's intelligent," Hermione conceded.

"So you think he's smart? You enjoy your intellectual talks? Hermione it's your match," Ginny teased.

Hermione threw a wild flower her way, "Intellectual match maybe, but how would it look if I went with a boy who tormented me for years until his Mother finally knocked some sense into him that I'm actually human?"

"You really think Draco listened to her on that?" Pansy asked, now sitting up to join the rest of them.

"Of course, he loves his mother and would even put his prejudices away for her," Hermione told her truthfully.

"He started seeing you as an equal, because he grew up. That's what some of us did. It wasn't just his mother—he just became a man. You know how he was in sixth year. He was a scared little boy doing what he thought was right. He's changed," Pansy replied thoughtfully. Hermione almost wanted to actually believe her. Pansy had grown up along with much of the Slytherin population that they knew.

Their ears perked when they heard the crowd getting rowdy, effectively silencing their conversation. Hermione was up in an instant with her wand drawn as she walked over towards the crowd of men who were gathered trying to pick apart what looked like a fight. She and Ginny moved their way to the crowd until they were at the fore front. Hermione could see Bill Weasley and Blaise Zabini holding Malfoy back from taking another swing at Ron.

Ron was being held by Harry and his older brother Charlie Weasley.

Narcissa and Lucius we're walking over and murder was in Narcissa's eyes. She pulled both of the wizards away and in that moment you could see everyone pale around them.

"How dare you! Have you each no respect for your magic or for the goddess herself? I should punish you both and send you off without participating. You should be banned for all of Beltane and lose _your_ magic," she yelled viciously at them.

"You are lucky that you have yet to completely disturb the balance," Lucius replied coldly and pulled his son up by the collar of his shirt and pushed him out of the crowd so he stumbled away. He was glaring daggers at all of the Weasleys.

Hermione doesn't know if she should have checked on Ron or not, but Ginny pushed her from the circle with a small smile and a wink. She knew she would take care of her brother while she checked on Draco. She followed a few paces behind him as he reached one of the walls of the property. He disappeared behind it and she slowly brought her dress up and ran out of the entrance only to be pulled back by two strong hands and pressed up against the wall.

His cold hands sought her jaw as he pressed his lips against hers roughly. His lips are soft, but his hands have small patches of callouses on them as he brushes them over her jaw and down her neck. For as quick as he had brought her back for a kiss he ended it.

He had a frightened look in his eye as he pulled away.

"Gods, Hermione I'm sorry—I don't—"he was cut off as she pulled him back to her and snogged him. She brought her hand up to run through his silvery blonde hair and hold his head down to hers. She let her tongue wander against his bottom lip and he opened his mouth for her deepening the kiss.

This time it was her who pushed him back trying to catch her breath. Her chest was rising and falling from her erratic breathing and he mirrored her position.

"The spring air, that's what it is—right?" she whispered to him as she brought a shaky hand up to her lips and gently touched and prodded them. She had done the one thing that she had sworn she would never do. Kiss Draco Malfoy.

"It's the spring air—it makes everyone do funny things. You've nothing to worry about, we shouldn't have done this. I wasn't supposed to kiss you. Forget about it," he was rambling and then finally was stern. There could be a horrible fate if they had been more intimate with one another besides a few kisses.

"How do we," she motioned between them and back to the party. Hermione was at a loss for words.

"Go first, I have some things I need to take care of," He told her and started to walk away from her towards the front of the house. She sighed and leaned up against the wall, giving herself time to let her breathing go back to normal. How had she ended up in this predicament?

Hermione then peaked around the corner to see everyone starting to sit down at the large benches that were very much like Hogwarts tables. Food was magically appearing and it would seem that men and women were once again separated.

She pushed herself from the wall and turned the corner towards the large group and began to walk back. As she walked past the alter Ron came over to talk to her as they walked back. He carried a black eye, but it wasn't as bad as she thought.

"Ron," she smiled pleasantly.

"Mione you have to stay away from him," Ron stopped himself and her, taking hold of her arm.

"Who?" she questioned as she looked around so no one would hear their conversation. She wasn't in the mood to be embarrassed by Ron and his theatrics.

"Malfoy. He's been saying some unsavory things about you," He told her.

"What could Malfoy have to say about me? We barely talk to one another when we aren't with Narcissa. We're merely acquaintances, Ronald," she implored as she began to walk again and Ron moved with her trying to keep up.

"He's been talking as if he's seen you naked and you two have been _together_,"he stressed.

Hermione thought it over for a few moments, before dismissing what Ron had said. There was no way that Malfoy would sink that low just to get under Ron's skin.

"What would you have me do then Ron? I'm good friends with Narcissa—I would never leave her alone," Hermione glared.

"Just take off that head dress, we'll find each other and you won't have to worry about maybe getting him," Ron told her and it was what broke the camel's back. Hermione's face started to turn a Weasley red and her stare could have killed Voldemort himself.

"Is this just a ploy so _you _can make sure you get laid, Ronald? You claim that you're such a good friend and a great wizard then be a great wizard and we will be matched. I cannot believe you," she huffed and threw her hands up in frustration before taking off towards the tables and leaving Ron to stand by himself.

She was muttering to herself as she got to the tables and sat in between Ginny and Narcissa towards the head of the table. Ginny didn't look overly worried but rubbed her friends back none the less and Narcissa looked past her to see the Weasley boy.

"Has he been bothering you, dear?" Narcissa asked seriously.

"Nothing I can't handle, Cissa," Hermione told her and they waited silently until the High Priestess was escorted by Lucius towards the center the tables. Everyone's eyes were trained on her, as if they were each in a trance.

"Hello my brothers and sisters, tonight we feast in the Honor of the great Goddess and her Horned God. She is with us always, giving us the strength to use our magic freely. She gives us the births that we so desire and the crops that are important with potions. Long ago she gave us great witches and wizards such as Merlin, Viviane, Morgana, and Circe," Zoia spoke freely. Hermione looked around the room and at the familiar faces of friends and family.

As she listened to the speech of the high priestess she slowly began to feel that this was truly her home. She had waited years in the wizarding world to feel at such peace. She had never belonged in the Muggle world and then finding out that her blood was deemed dirty because of her parent's status as Mugggles, this was never her home either. She was caught between two worlds that didn't want her.

"We were blessed with this gift that no one, but us can understand. We have been persecuted by muggles and then we have been helped. We have persecuted ourselves and then we were given the chosen one. The Goddess has always given us her blessing and protected us the best way she knows how. She has taught us history and made our kind pay for the mistakes that we've made," Zoia continued.

Hermione was deep in thought until she heard the last bit.

"We celebrate tonight with our new brothers and sisters in Magic. We celebrate to find love and beauty in everything. We celebrate to keep our magic in our veins strong. Our celebration for Witches and Wizards, no matter blood status—you are one of us," she finished strongly.

"Hear—hear," Lucius slammed his cup twice on the hard wooden table and lifted it up high in the air in toast to what the high priestess said. Everyone soon was smashing their glasses down against the table in agreement. Hermione found herself having fun as she ate and talked to everyone at the table.

There was music and dancers still, those who had been hired and even jesters—though she was positive that if they had just asked Fred and George they would have done it free of charge.

"Lost in thought again Mione?" Ginny smiled.

"Actually I was just thinking that this is where I belong," she smiled.

"You will always belong with us," Ginny told her with a triumphant smirk and leaned over to kiss her best friend's cheek. The girls giggled together and began to gossip as Hermione was asking about Ginny and Harry. She knew that Ginny had been in love with him since she first laid eyes on him.

She had gone as far to write him a love poem for Valentine's Day one year.

Ginny confessed to telling her that she would run away if it wasn't Harry, she didn't want to give up something like her virginity to a complete stranger when there was someone she actually loved. Hermione nodded in understanding of course and when the Men were getting rowdy with some of the dancers it was Lucius she saw who was quick to act and forcing them from the table and to apologize.

She felt her chest fill with pride, the people she was associating with—Death Eaters maybe—but good people deep down. They all had a role to play in the war and not everyone could be the Hero.

Her eyes fell upon the blonde sat next to his father and he raised his glass to her along with a small head bow. She looked around before picking up her own drinking and doing the same to him, only with a light blush that illuminated her face.

"Is that a blush I see, Hermione?" Narcissa questioned and looked towards the direction of the table that Hermione was staring at.

"Maybe," Hermione mumbled—not wanting to be teased.

"So, you think you may have found a stag—hopefully?" Narcissa pursued the topic.

Hermione's blush deepened, "I think so," she swallowed—finally letting herself admit it. She did admire him for his magic and strength. He was the boy that had made all of the wrong choices—the wrong choices to the outside world. Inside he was just the boy who had made the hard choices, the ones that everyone claimed that they would never make. They weren't the ones in the situation though.

The staring of another also did not go unnoticed by Narcissa and Hermione. She could feel Ron's stare as if it was a red hot poker piercing her skin. It was not something that she wanted to repeat, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of looking up at him and acknowledging him. She kept ignoring him and she knew his stare was becoming more intense.

Soon the Feast was over and everyone was dancing as the sun slowly started to set. Within the crazy hustle and bustle of the women to get their girls into the house she found Harry and pulled him off to the side.

"Harry, I forgot about the fairy ash—do you have some?" Hermione whispered to him.

"I figured you might, here give this to Narcissa," Harry smiled and pulled out a small pouch from his pocket and handed it over to Hermione.

"You really are the chosen one Harry," Hermione teased with a smile.

"So they seem to say," He laughed, "I've already helped Ginny with hers, so get this back to Narcissa quickly and get going. It's almost completely dark," Harry told her and pushed her off in the direction of Narcissa and Ginny, whom were waiting at the gate of the house. Hermione apologized for being late, but it was waved off.

"It's time Hermione!" Ginny squealed excitedly as she grabbed her friends arms and the girls raced up towards Hermione's chambers.

Narcissa and Molly looked at one another before smiling in unison as they walked quickly after the girls. It might have been silent, but the silent truce for the night was all that the witches needed as they prepared to get their daughters ready.

**A/N: Thank you everyone who has still stuck with the story-even though my updates are not as regular as they used to be. I hope that I'll be able to edit and update another chapter by tonight or tomorrow. I've finally figured out where I'm going with this and I want to write it and give it to you as fast as possible. I also would like to see my work finally fleshed out. **

**xoxox**

**Kat**


	12. XII

**Beltane Night  
><strong>_XII: Beltane Night_

Inside of the house was beginning to darken, and soon the pale moonlight was flooding the hallways as the lamps were magically being brought to life. Women were running in and out of rooms getting dressed. Hermione could only imagine that it looked a lot like a muggle sorority house that she had heard about and seen in movies.

Women's undergarments were thrown about while they moved from room to room while she and Ginny went straight for her own room. She put her wand out for the door to recognize her and they both slipped inside while their matriarch's were behind them. They were unaware of the silent exchange between the two older witches at the bottom of the steps. Molly had rushed to get Ginny ready, behind her curtain.

Hermione was stripping slowly as she watched Narcissa sprinkle the fairy ash over her flower crown and whisper a small incantation that made the crown glow gold. Hermione stood in front of her mother figure holding both her arms over her breasts and in just a small pair of delicate lavender panties that were lace.

"You look ravishing, Hermione—there's no need to hide yourself. Let me help you get dressed," Narcissa smiled and pulled the sheer gown from the closet and helped slide it over Hermione's head. The fabric hugged her chest and then flowed down her body. It was very sheer compared to the other dress and you could see every inch and curve of her body. She felt practically naked with it and quickly covered her breasts once more as she looked around the room and at Narcissa for assistance.

"Cissa, what do I do?" she whisper hissed towards her.

"We're charming them to become gold. It'll look fabulous with your intricate henna designs, my love," Narcissa smiled.

"My breasts?" Hermione asked horrified.

Narcissa let out a laugh, "No, just your nipples and don't worry—no one can see the sheerness except for the other women. We're still keeping your modesty from the men," Narcissa assured her and Hermione bashfully dropped her arms and turned her head from the woman. With a flick of her wrist, Hermione could feel her nipples slowly warming and looked down to see that they were indeed now covered with the gold paint that they used everywhere else on her.

"I don't look terrible, do I?" Hermione asked Narcissa.

"You look lovey and your stag with adore you, now here is your crown," Narcissa quickly placed the beautiful flower crown over her long curly hair that had been taken care of by a simple glamour charm.

By the time that Hermione emerged from behind the curtain, with Narcissa fussing over her hair and dress she saw Ginny and didn't recognize her.

"Ginny?" Hermione questioned.

"Mum glamoured me, we have Weasley Red hair and we're notorious," Ginny winked as she whipped around her long blonde hair playfully.

"They do say blondes have more fun," Hermione laughed and covered her mouth.

"Do they Narcissa?" Ginny asked the matriarch.

Narcissa gave a small smile and winked at the youngest Weasley, "Of course we do," she replied as if it was such a drag to have such fun.

"You look beautiful Mione, your stag won't know what hit him!" Ginny said enthusiastically.

"Yes, you do look so beautiful," Molly told Hermione with small tears in her eyes, "Both of you look absolutely beautiful and I love you so much," Molly pulled both of the girls into a tight embrace and Hermione welcomed it. Molly had played a mother figure in her life for so long—that she didn't know how she would have ever gone on without her.

"You'll always be my daughter—no matter the last name," Molly told Hermione seriously as she cupped the young witches face. Her thumbs stroking the unshed tears from her cheeks. Hermione nodded her head before pulling Molly into an extra-long hug.

That had been the one thing she was scared of, had she married someone differently—would she still be part of their family? She was scared she would never see them again and they were like the air she breathed, necessary. That was her family just as much as Narcissa was her family.

"Now no need to ruin perfectly good dresses and makeup," Narcissa sniffed and for once she had let someone other than Hermione see that she had a tear in her eye. Hermione walked over and hugged her matriarch tightly.

"I guess it's time?" Hermione asked.

"It is, but before you go out I need to give you this," Narcissa said as she walked over towards the closet and pulled out a small box and there was the Mask that she wore the night of her Beltane. Swallowing Hermione touched the mask gently and dropped her hands to the side as Narcissa picked it up and magically attached it to her face. The mask would not drop and felt light as a feather—it was attached as if it was on a cord that hung around her head, keeping it in place.

Taking one of Narcissa's makeup brushes she quickly darkened the eye holes of the mask and over Hermione's eyes so that her eyes would stand out from the mask. She looked beautiful, almost like the goddess herself.

"Do I have to wear the cloak?" Hermione asked.

"It's a Malfoy tradition—we'll be giving you your big reveal tonight, you'll be a wizarding woman contributing to the magic tonight," Narcissa told her as she draped the cape over her and pulled the hood over Hermione's head. She charmed it so that it would hide her fairly well and look darker until they decided to pull it off of Hermione.

Hermione and Ginny grabbed each other's hands and took a deep breath as they started to walk out of the room and towards the back yard again. The trail covered by roses and other flowers with extremely soft soil.

Around the Manor you could hear older witches tucking their young wizards and witches into bed and the house elves reassuring them that all would run well and they would take care of everything and soon the House was empty, but with the sound of snoring children. The flickering of lights growing brighter with each passing second.

Zoia was waiting at the ending of the aisle of flowers, the large bonfire behind her. The only light that's illuminating the backyard besides the fairy lights that had been hung strategically in the forest. Hermione sighed comfortably as she let go of Ginny's hand and the young girl stepped forward. Zoia whispered in her ear before blessing her and kissing her lightly on the forehead.

Ginny's body visibly relaxed as she moved off towards the side where other women were standing and chatting merrily.

Hermione was next as she walked towards the goddess, her hand now intertwined with Narcissa—since she was her Matriarch for the moment.

"Miss Hermione Granger, the goddess has been waiting for you for a while. I'm glad she will finally know of your company," the woman spoke softly. Her dark skin as illuminated by the firelight reflecting an orange glow. The High Priestess looked like a being from another planet to Hermione. She looked angelic—she didn't know if she should respond or not.

"Who gives you away?" Zoia asked.

"I, Narcissa Malfoy gives Hermione Jean Granger to the Goddess," Narcissa spoke softly.

"A Malfoy, it is as the goddess would have liked. I give you my blessing—go forth and spread the word of the goddess. May her love guide you tonight Miss Granger," Zoia spoke and lifted Hermione's head up and kissed her softly on the forehead.

Her heart was racing while the conversation had progressed and soon she felt at ease. Squeezing Narcissa's hand she nodded towards Zoia and they walked away from her on the path of flowers towards the other women and their mothers. Soon the music is struck up again and they are able to dance freely.

"Narcissa please stay and dance," Hermione begged.

"Oh I can't—this is for you younger girls," she smiled.

"Let them stare," Hermione laughed and took her friend in hand and kept her in place. Narcissa soon gave herself over to the music and both women danced in sync with one another. Hermione noticed that once her reluctance was gone she was ready to take on anything.

They danced and twirled around to the fast pace music, each dancing with one another and they were even able to pull Molly and Tonks into the crowd of them as they skipped and danced around the fire in a circle. Some of them weaved in and out, picking up the pace as their bare feet dug into the crust of the earth while they spun. Their dresses all light colours and catching the glow that came from the fire light.

Hermione had never felt more oven and free as she did when she was there dancing with Narcissa and the rest of the women.

The air was crisp, and soon a gust of wind came through the fire. The girls had stopped dancing and stared towards the fire that was large enough to separate them from half of the backyard.

In the distance Hermione could hear a wolf howling as the upbeat music they were dancing too had turned into a just a steady beat of drums.

She stepped forward towards the flickering bonfire and bit her lip in anticipation.

Soon the fire started to get lower and Ginny grabbed her by the dress to pull her back as a man in a deer mask jumped over the fire and landed with a small thud. His feet digging into the ground and he rose to his full height. Hermione was taken back and soon more men were running and jumping over the fire to make their entrance.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh to herself and whisper in Ginny's ear, "A bit cliché right? I thought I was in a period piece," Hermione laughed and Ginny nodded and soon another man jumped from the back and tripped. He was quickly held up and Hermione recognized the mask as Ron's. She felt sorry for him, but he would get on just fine without her.

The music starts up again and Hermione sees a bowl being passed around through the girls and soon she has it in her hands and dips her finger in it experimentally. She can't put her finger on it but takes the liquid on her fingers rubbing it between each fingers as she and Ginny begin to dance again—paying no mind to the stags that are walking through the crowd of women.

Hermione takes the liquid and moves them over her upper arms creating bright streaks of angry red that makes her skin ignite.

The magic in the air is heavier, compelling even. She turns around and locks eyes with one of the stags who had been staring at her and walks over towards him. His hair covered by the mask and most likely glamoured. She knows their voices are and she doesn't recognize him, but slowly she brings her shaking pointer finger up his lip and gently drags it down across his bottom lip and down his chin.

She feels out of control, a woman possessed as she slides her hands over his arms and takes his hands in hers as she leads him back towards the throngs of dancing people. She only sees his eyes which are no doubt glamoured by the way they shine intense orange.

She sways to the music, letting him turn her as she moves closer to him—keeping him on his toes when she switches from dancing next to him to on him. It's nothing like the dances she's seen in the clubs when she and Ginny had gone out, nor the taverns. It's sensual—beautiful—it's a carnal dance of its own and she knows that she's attracted to him immensely.

"Are you enjoying Beltane tonight?" she asks him honestly, the first time she can find her voice in twenty minutes.

"Immensely now," He whispers and dips his head so his lips are against her neck. She wants to take the mask off of him, but the consequences are too great.

"I'm not sure who you are, but are you glamoured?" she asks curiously.

"Extremely glamoured. I look nothing like myself right now—are you?" He whispers to her as she turns around to face him and sway to the music.

Hermione shook her head, "I'm not at all," she replied honestly.

"So you're this beautiful without that— how lucky can I be?" he laughed. She laughed as well and soon he was pressing the pads of his thumbs against her cheeks.

"We will see each other soon—I'm coming for you," He told her and slipped away from the crowd and she watched him retreat towards the area where men we're still competing against each other in a wrestling match.

She chocked it up to him having to keep whatever title he wanted. She went back to dancing on her own, something like this wouldn't keep her from having a good time. She danced through the night and when she saw the stag with short horns walking over, she slipped further into the crowd of people. She searches for Narcissa, she recognizes her mask, and pushes her way through the crowd until she's standing near her.

"Cissa! I found him I think," she squealed in delight. She had never felt more like a girl.

"You found the stag that you want?" She asked with a large smile on her face. Hermione nodded her head up and down quickly and pointed towards where he stood among the other men. A few girls were talking to him, but his main focus was on the match.

"My my, Miss Granger—you do have some taste after all," Lucius replied from behind his mask with a smirk and walked away slowly with his cane in hand. Hermione furrowed her brow and turned to look at Narcissa.

"He may know the stag is all dear, the goddess has plans for you my love," Narcissa kissed the side of her head before she took Hermione's hand and started to drag her towards the match. She saw one of the men thrown to the ground and she saw her stag pull him up and pat him on the back and step into the ring.

Son him and another larger man we're wrestling.

She was pulled by her thoughts when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Turning around she immediately recognized his eyes.

"May I have this dance?" he asked her.

Narcissa gave her a word of encouragement and promised to look after her stag. She took the man's hand as he pulled her into the crowd of dancers.

"Harry," Hermione smiled.

"How'd you know it was me? I mean I knew you by your hair, but mine is covered," He asked.

Hermione laughed and danced with her friend, "Your eyes Harry, I've seen them almost every day for the past eight years. We're best friends—I know you," she smiled.

"I guess I shouldn't have tried to fool the brightest-witch of her age," He joked.

"That too."

They danced with one another like they did at the yule ball in fourth year and he twirled her around the dance floor effortlessly.

"So, Harry do you know which stag that one is," she asked pointing her finger at _her_ stag.

"I do, but I think Arthur and the Mother Goddess would chew my head off if I told you—it's meant to be a surprise. He's not the worst that you could have picked. He's not the best, but he's not the worst by far," Harry told her.

"He's not a Death Eater, is he?" She asked.

"No—just someone with difficult decisions. The brooding type," He laughed.

Hermione looked over at her stag and watched him drop another man on the ground and walk away from the circle. He's stalking around the fire and zones in on her—she could feel his welcomed gaze n her as she danced with Harry.

"Are you going to get Ginny?"

"I don't know—I feel my pull towards a woman, but it's not her hair. The glamour charm that is going around keeps confusing me. I feel confident though—my heart is there," Harry replied honestly and Hermione nodded. She looked over Harry's shoulder and saw Ron staring at her too and she felt herself blush.

"Is Ron behaving?" she asked.

"He shouldn't be bothering you if that's what you're asking, we gave him a talk—even Molly and Arthur gave him explicit instructions to leave you alone unless you were actually destined to be together," He told her.

"He's staring and it's not welcomed. I wish he would just find a nice girl besides me and settle down. Harry I waited for him for so long and now he thinks that we can just be together—I'm at a loss," Hermione replied solemnly.

"You will do brilliantly in life and he will too—he's just got a bit of growing up to do, yeah?" Harry proposed.

"That's very true—"

A loud horn interrupted her thoughts and words. In a flash Harry had let go of her and began to dash towards the woods. The moon was high in the sky as she heard multiple wolves howl across the tree as the wind slowly picked up shaking the branches and bringing flowers from the field inside of the forest.

On bare feet she ran like her life depended on it towards the forest, her dress picked up off of the ground with both hands she pushed herself forwards until she got to the edge of the woods and looked up at the night sky. Small fairies were above her watching her.

She was watching them right back as a few giggled and slowly began to guide her through the forest as she walked briskly.

She could hear men and women around her, laughs and playful banter echoing around her until she came to a spot by an old Cyprus tree. The faeries had stopped moving around her and were perched in the tree lighting up the area around her.

She didn't know what she was doing, and she didn't know how she was doing the things she was. It wasn't something she knew in her head, but it was something that just felt right in her veins.

Another loud and vicious howl ripped through the night sky as her chest heaved up and down from the running. She looked around the forest—everything was echoing and she didn't know which way to look.

"I can feel you," she said out loud, looking up at the moon in wonder. She slowly is walking backwards turning slightly when she hears crunching near her. She looks over her shoulder and there her stag is. He's walking towards her slowly, still in hunting mode, but she is no deer. Hermione doesn't scare as easily.

Words aren't exchanged as she moves forward and runs her delicate fingers over his bare chest. She's noticed that his eyes are no longer a golden color, but a light blue color. She gingerly takes his jaw in her hands and leans up pressing her lips firmly to his. He tasted of peppermint—fresh and cool to the touch. His hands made their way across her back and down her sides towards her thighs. The fabric of her dress becoming bunched in his fists.

Pulling away from her he rests his forehead against hers. The magic is vibrating through them when he takes her hand and leads her under the Cyprus tree.

His wand was in one hand and a blanket in the other as he transfigured it and placed it on the ground for her. Hermione stared at him with wide eyes and a sense of knowing. She swallowed before kneeling down on the blanket and sitting at the edge.

She wasn't sure if she was ready for this, it was a large commitment. Her doubts we're put to rest when he laid her down gently after taking up part of the blanket. They could each hear the faint words that we're being sung and the music out in the distance as he pulled her lips to his and kissed her. His hand moving from her shoulder and down to her arm. He would take it slow.

Moans and screams of ecstasy echoed around them, the atmosphere had suddenly changed from a game that was happening to something real.

Tugging on her bottom lip with his own she pressed herself further against him until he gently moved his hand under her sheer dress. His fingers teased and skimmed the edge of her panties, making her slide one knee up with anticipation. His lips we're on her neck kissing and sucking as she let out an appreciative moan.

She felt his tongue dance over her collar bone as his fingers slowly tugged down at her panties. They were sliding down her hips while she looked wide eyed up at the night sky. Her lips parted as he slowly moved his middle finger along her lips gathering moisture from her before inching his finger inside of her.

Hermione's toes curled as she lifted her hips up to meet his hand on the blanket. Pulling his head up towards her she kissed him with a fiery passion. One that made her feel things that she hadn't for any boy in a long time. She gave into her urges and moved her hips in sync with his finger and soon was met with another finger.

She moaned into his mouth when he curled his fingers ever so slightly.

Her hips felt warm and she wanted nothing more than to have him inside her.

"Please," she whispered frantically against his neck. Her lips at his ear in a desperate plea—one that only he was able to answer.

"Yes, Love?" he moved his fingers faster as he was working her into a frenzy.

"I need you now," the blush across her face was enough to make him agree, but he wanted to hold out. Hermione covered her face with her arms embarrassed. She was a woman after all, she thought to herself. She should be asking of these things if she wanted them.

She felt him move from her and as she watched him undo his pants she slowly pulled the sheer dress from her body and leaned back on her elbows so that she wasn't flat on the ground. She stared at him with a wolves hunger in her eyes. She wanted to consume all of him, keep him all to herself.

He swallowed hard as well and slowly moved down between her legs, kneeling there for her—waiting for her signal.

She nodded her head slightly and he took her hips gently in his hands as he guided himself towards her pink lips and slowly pushed inside. Hermione gasped and pulled at the blankets under her, letting her hair and head fall back as she let out a loud moan of desire.

"Keep going," she demanded as he pushed himself all the way inside of her. He stilled as he felt her adjust and soon enough she demanded for him to continue again. He looked down at her with amazement and wonder before taking her hands in his and placing them above her head as she laid back down on the blanket of fur he had made them. Her breath caught in her throat as she hitched a thigh around his waist and he began to thrust inside of her. Her breasts bouncing with each thrust as he attacked her neck with kisses.

Her moans we're the music left for them now. Their heavy labored breathing taking over the sounds that the drums had made previously.

He interlocked fingers with hers pressing them against the fur and into the dirt as he slid himself from her and thrusted in once again gaining a steady rhythm. She felt her stomach and hips becoming warmer with each thrust and she arched her back, letting go of the prim and properness.

She screamed with the wolves and gusts of wind that came through the night. She untangled his fingers from hers so she could wrap them over his back pushing him further inside of her. His skin slapped mercilessly against her own.

Hermione felt it, the magic deep within her and soon she felt herself coming undone. Her nails dug into his back leaving angry marks across his shoulder blades as she stilled and pushed her head back against the blanket.

It was a sense of relief and calmness that washed over her as he continued to push inside her after her orgasm.

She kissed him with all her might, pulling his lip with her own as she then let her tongue move with his deepening the kiss further. She loved the taste of peppermint, she had decided. His grunts egged her on as she ran her fingers through his hair that was at the base of his neck. Moving her hips fast and urgently with his she was swept away with desire for her stag.

He grunted and let out a moan as he stiffened inside of her. His lips at her ear and neck as he filled her. The wolves were howling with delight and the fairies above them were buzzing with delight and the magic had settled around them.

With a sigh he slowly pulls out from her rolling over onto the fur rug. She's rolled over too to wrap her arms around him and lay her head on his bicep.

"I see you," she whispered up to him and kisses his chest.

"And I you," he whispered down to her and kissed the top of her head contently. Her eyes close in happiness.

The other couples around them are moaning and laughing when the silence starts to grow more defining by the second and soon screams can be heard back at the Manor. Hermione sat up quickly and the stag is right behind her.

"Bloody hell," she hears him and quickly starts to put on her dress once again and the Stag starts to pull on his things then pulls out his wand. Her one moment of bliss is over in an instant as he pulls her through the woods with him. When they reach the clearing, Hermione has tears in her eyes. The dark mark is hung over Malfoy Manor and they're battling with one another.

She was choked up and soon she could see the other's coming out of the forest as well ready to fight. Everything's happening around her and suddenly she's being pushed into Narcissa's arms.

"I will find you," her stag repeats and kisses her forehead as Narcissa starts to drag her towards the woods.

Beltane Night was officially over.

**A/N: Thank you everyone whose reviewed and really enjoys the story. I've come to the conclusion that I think I will be halfway down with this now. Like i've said before i've mapped out where I want to go. I hope you are all as excited as I am to see this finished through.**


	13. XIII

**Beltane Night**_  
>XIII: Dance with the Trees<em>

Hermione found herself swept away by Narcissa as they ran through the trees. Death Eaters had taken to apparating around the forest and going after every witch and wizard they could get their hands on, despite the blood status. She could hear the blood curdling screams as couples that we're over taken by them. She prayed for her own friends' safety, but she knew that Harry and Ron along with the rest of the Weasleys were able to take care of themselves.

Hermione pulled her wand from her thigh and kept a tight grip on it. Ever since she had fought in the battle at the ministry she had never been far from her wand. It was her shield and her power.

"Why are they here?" Hermione asked desperately as Narcissa navigated them through the forest and towards a very large and old tree. She pulled her behind it and hid them both in between the trees, just then Death Eaters we're flying through the forest yelling out commands for the other to find the Mudblood. The tree held a small opening which if you didn't know the nook was there you would never find them.

"After your shop was vandalized, Lucius angered them. He took them to our dungeon and let's just say that my husband would make a crooked auror if it ever came down to it. Some were tortured within an inch of their lives—he's very protective of the family. We gave them strict orders and if they don't listen—that means they see us as weak. Our family is not weak," she hissed out the last part and Hermione could see that the faeries even began to fight back against the Death Eaters—trying to confuse them as they apparate.

She could hear their soft buzzes turn louder, it reminded her of a bees defending their home. They were poking and prodding the Death Eaters along with spinning them around to confuse their sense of direction.

Hermione looked over towards a tree when suddenly it began to pull its root from the ground. Her screams echoed in the forest and Narcissa quickly slammed her hand against the young witch's mouth to keep her from screaming more. Hermione's magical knowledge of plants did not extend to them actually moving and being considered alive beings.

"It's an enchanted forest—Mother Nature always fights back," Narcissa whispered quietly and pulled her close against her. Hermione stood in amazement as the large trees had slowly began to come to life, they were there to protect their homes.

She could hear the animals of the forest and the mythical creatures inhabiting it coming forward and soon she knew some of the screams were coming from the Death Eaters themselves. She was awfully impressed and it put things in perspective for her. They were very much like the forest when it came to Voldemort. The wizarding world was their home and they would all have to come together despite being different—she might have been a small regular creature, but the centaurs lived there too and this was their fight, just like it was any purebloods fight.

The animals intentions we're not to kill one another, but band together to keep their place a safe haven for all of them.

They could faintly here the screams from some of the women and soon the forest has gone quiet except for their own labored breathing. The forest was growing quiet and colder by the passing moment and it worried Hermione. She questioned herself silently, had the dementors been released upon the public?

Narcissa quickly took Hermione's hand and pulled her deeper inside the forest. Both women were tripping and stumbling as they made their way deeper inside, moving past bushes and shrubbery. They climbed through large roots and finally deposited themselves under a sycamore tree. Its roots we're somewhat uprooted and it was a good place to hide.

"My love, if something should happen you run—you run and do not let anyone get a hold of you, is this clear?" Narcissa demanded as she took Hermione's face in her hands.

"Nothing is going to happen Cissa, stop this," Hermione hissed. She would never leave the woman and abandon her. She had too much pride and a Gryffindor never let someone else fail if they could help it.

Narcissa glared at the young witch, "For once in your life Hermione think of yourself—you're always off with that Potter boy putting yourself in harm's way. I'm telling you right now not to treat me the same. I will always find a way to protect myself and so will you. A little Slytherin in you will go a long way," she said forcibly.

"I'm not a Slytherin though, I'll be fine. I might be a mud—"

"Don't you call yourself that, you are a person and these people will target you first, think smart Hermione love," Narcissa implored.

The silence in the air was cut by a loud cackle that came from the forest in front of them. Narcissa squeezed Hermione's hands tightly and kissed them.

"I love you like a Daughter, I may not be able to convince you to be Slytherin—but there is nothing cowardice about saving yourself to fight another day. Now stay quiet," Narcissa commanded before straightening her hair and standing up away from the Roots.

Hermione gripped onto the tree bark and watched as she walked to the front of the tree. Her head was held high and finally Bellatrix Lestrange came into view. She knew that they were both Blacks at heart and she didn't know how far blood went in their family. Hermione might have hated Bellatrix, but the last thing she wanted to do was have the sister's fight each other.

"Bella," Narcissa said dismissively.

"Cissa—is that how you treat your sister," Bellatrix whined and made a whimpering noise before her famous deranged smile appeared on her face.

Narcissa made a strangled noise from her throat, "You dare show up just because my husband tortured yours and a few others. I told you that you weren't welcome here. How dare you defy who is in charge," Narcissa snarled at her own blood.

"In charge! You Blood Traitor!" Bellatrix screamed at the top of her lungs and laughed, "The master will have use of you when he hangs your skins as prizes. You lying blood traitor. Where is the Mudblood?" Bellatrix screamed. She was crazy as she jumped around in front of Narcissa demanding answers. She looked like a mad dog being held on its leash, waiting for its owner to say the words _kill. _

"Do you forget who his right hand man is? _My _husband. Not yours," Narcissa silenced her.

"You've defiled it. Where is the Mudblood? I want to string her up like a pig and watch her dirty blood drain onto the floor," she laughed. Narcissa stood silently facing her sister, she didn't move a muscle as she waited for Bella's face to fall and then harden. They would duel to the death it seemed.

"Supefy!" Bellatrix called out as Narcissa ran away from the tree and turned right on her heels facing her sister. Narcissa had remembered dueling her sister in school—the deranged witch didn't care that they were siblings though.

"Levicorpus!" Narcissa called out trying to get away with not killing her own blood.

"Expalliarmus," Bellatrix shouted as they both ran through the forest, one after the other. Narcissa apparated before the spell could hit her and ended up behind Bellatrix—knocking her over and onto her ass in the forest. "Expulso," she shouted and the trunk of a tree next to Narcissa exploded loudly as she apparated away towards the other end of the tree.

"Confundus!" Narcissa countered and followed with "Confringo!" Narcissa had locked Bellatrix in a ring of fire. The fire had to have been licking at her skin but with a clear aim Bellatrix pointed her wand at Narcissa and shouted.

"Stupefy!" The spell had hit Narcissa straight in the chest, knocking her down onto the ground of the forest floor. Bellatrix clapped her hand as she apparated out of the fire and stood over Narcissa's body.

"I really don't want to do this sister, but the dark lord commands it. Aveda—"

"Protego! Expalliarmus! Supefy!" Hermione shouted waving her wand in each way as she even levitated sticks and logs to throw themselves towards Bellatrix who was taken by surprise. Hermione ran to Narcissa's body and quickly knelt down to listen for a heartbeat. It was there, but it was faint. She stood up and readied herself to take on the older witch.

She would take a sickening pleasure in killing her.

"So you do live—and have magic, how _dare_ you use magic!" Bellatrix's eyes got wide as she talked. There was no way that Hermione could have described the crazy look that was in Bellatrix's eyes. The only comparison she could have made would be to a rabid dog as she tried to come closer. She almost didn't look human with the amount of hatred that flashed inside her eyes.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix shouted and a pain shot through Hermione's body, but she didn't crumble completely, "crucio!" she shouted again until Hermione was on her knees. Her skin felt as if she was going to turn inside out and crack. Her organs we're on fire and her mind was being torn in two directions.

"Stupefy!" A woman behind Bellatrix called out as she stunned Bellatrix for a moment, "Immobulus!" the woman called out again and Bellatrix was frozen in her spot. The woman smiled down at Hermione and quickly came over to help her up and onto her feet. Hermione held onto her and balanced herself while her knees were still shaky from the unforgiveable curse.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked hesitantly.

"Andromeda. Thank you Hermione Granger—you've helped my sister more than you can ever know," she smiled and pulled Hermione in for a hug. She was at a loss as she slowly moved her arms around the witch before her and hugged her back.

"I should be thanking you—if you hadn't come. Let's just say that we both might be dead," Hermione replied uneasily.

"Think nothing of it," Andromeda replied with a tight smile.

Hermione had put it together as she talked with Andromeda about what had happened at the party. The Order of the Phoenix had been alerted and all the wizards and witches who were not in attendance due to a job or something else had come to help with the massacre that had happened. All three of them we're sisters—the once envied Black sisters that had graced Hogwarts. There was still talk of them and their extraordinary talents when they were together. Hermione wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

"She's been like a mother to me," she quickly said as Andromeda began to pull Bellatrix to her feet.

"I know that—she writes to me once a week, but doesn't think that Lucius delivers the messages. Take good care of her Hermione, she's stirring—"Andromeda quickly put her finger to her lips. Telling Hermione to be quiet as she apparated with a light pop just as Narcissa was opening her eyes.

Hermione rushed back to her side slowly lifting her head to lay in her own lap.

"Oh Narcissa, I'm so sorry—if I had come out sooner she might not have hurt you," Hermione sniffled. Narcissa was still disoriented and let her hands rest of her eyes for a moment before wiping them and feeling for her wand which she gripped tightly.

She was never more than a few inches from it, it had slowly become her life line over the years.

"Hermione, please don't fret—"Narcissa coughed and slowly pulled herself up into the sitting position, "You did wonderful—how did you get Bellatrix to leave?" She asked slowly. That was the real question that she was afraid of.

"I—I—I didn't. Your sister Andromeda appeared out of nowhere. She's been working with the order and she must have been following Bellatrix. She saved you where I couldn't and she couldn't stay long. She had to bring Bellatrix back for interrogation I guess. Please forgive me?" Hermione asked her with tears in her eyes.

"Why do you need forgiveness?" Narcissa asked confused.

"I know you miss your sister and I—I had helped sooner you would get to see her," Hermione cried. Narcissa nodded and quickly pulled the crying girl into her arms and she felt her own tears pouring from her face.

"Forgive me…please," Hermione begged against her neck.

"Nothing to forgive love, Andromeda and I just need to sort out our own mess—I do miss her," she sniffed. They stayed together in the tight embrace sniffling and licking their own wounds as the night wore on and soon past the trees showed the light of day coming over the horizon. Beltane night was officially over.

Without a word Hermione and Narcissa lifted themselves from the dirt and started to make their way back towards Malfoy Manor. They could see women thrown over bodies of their loved ones and everyone was huddled together for warmth and their own protection. By the time they had reached the Manor Narcissa's face had hardened and she was back to the shell of a woman that Hermione had grown to love.

"Hermione—go inside and get some rest. They have trashed my party, taken over my home, and killed guests of mine. I will go and find the men and we will take care of this promptly," Narcissa turned on her feet and strode away towards the apparition point on their property. She called for Molly Weasley as they quickly talked for a few moments and disappeared.

Hermione felt her eyes slowly getting heavy, they had stayed up all night in fear of being found and all she wanted to do was rest her head somewhere safe.

With her heavy heart she made her way into the Manor as she saw Ginny and Luna run over towards her. Silently the girls helped her shut the manor doors and put up the wards once again.

**A/N: I know this is not as long as they normally are but I put what I thought was right for the story in this. So not all chapters are going to be 5k long. I hope you all understand? I'm not going to over describe everything just for the words. I want to keep this flowing smoothly. **


	14. XIV

**Beltane Night**  
><em>XIV: The Stone Table<em>

[Draco POV]

He knelt down by the river, his pale hands scooping up water up to his face. He let the water run down his face and ran his fingers through his hair before letting his fingers dance over his mask. Inside near the eye socket was a crack running down.

Draco leaned over looking at his reflection in the water, the same type of crack falling over his eyebrow down towards his eye. A scar in the wake of a curse that was thrown at him. The mask had shielded most of his face and at the end the magic had only left a small crack to let the spell hit him.

"Hurry up, we can't leave your Mother for long and it would seem we are needed with the Order," Lucius said coldly. His hands perched on top of his cane which held his wand. Draco looked up at his father and rolled his shoulders back groaning at his sore muscles.

He lifted himself up from the river side to go stand next to his father. His Dark Mark visibly clear on his pale skin was even sore. It felt like it was slowly heating up, creating an extreme discomfort.

"I need to find that girl, Father," Draco gave him a pointed look.

"You will find her—we cannot go home though yet, we can walk and talk," Lucius told his son as they were walking slowly through the forest.

Draco talked highly of the witch that he had danced with and how he had found her again in the forest. The faeries had lit up the path that led right to her. He remembered the forest being dark, except for the lights that led him to her. She had long and dark curly hair that held a white flower crown on top of her hair.

"Do you know her?" Draco asked his father suddenly, stopping in the middle of the trail.

"Why do you ask?" His father let his eyebrow raise ever so slightly.

Draco snorted and gave a look to his father, "You've yet to drill me about her and ask about who her family might be. What happened to your plan for me?" Draco asked. He had always looked up to his father, he would do anything to please him. He had done everything he could to please them. He had even gotten the damn mark that would ruin his entire future.

He knew the light side would win—Potter and his dumb friends would win and he would be put in Azkaban for a crime he didn't want to commit.

His father began walking once again, stepping over the sticks and debris that we're in their way, "I may know who she is—then again I may not. I do know who the lovely girl you were dancing with was. However, that's something you will need to think hard on. It's not my place Draco."

"How can it not be your place, you don't want me married off to some half-blood, do you?" Draco asked.

"Your mother has made it a point that you shall be with whom you want. You're lucky that Granger girl came along. You would have been with that Greengrass girl. What was her name? Astrid? Astonia? Never the less you would have been with her," Lucius concluded as they walked further towards the clearing where there was an old stone building. Within it held a stone table, one that had been used much like the knights at the round table. It was a place where magic couldn't be used to harm one another.

"So, if I can't find her—what do I do?" he asked.

"Keep your eyes open, she may be closer than you think. You have much to learn still and things are becoming increasingly difficult—it might be time to not rush into anything," Lucius said carefully.

"I may die tomorrow by the hands of Voldemort. I could die tonight—the time for not rushing is not now," Draco hissed as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Lucius put out his cane, stopping Draco from moving any further into the pasture.

"If you can't find her by Samhain, I will help you. I may have done questionable things in your childhood—but everything I do is for you," Lucius vowed and stuck out his hand. He watched his son slowly stick his hand out and gave a firm handshake.

"We need to apparate from here," he says as he kept a hold on his son's arm. Apparating them into the building. They entered with a large pop and soon Harry and Ron we're on Draco while Remus and Shacklebolt we're holding Lucius against the stone table. The two Death Eaters didn't struggle as the Order held them hard and started commanding the others to sweep the area.

They knew without Hermione there they had to speak for their own character, they had no one there on their behalf.

"Give them the veritaserum!" Harry yelled to Ron as he pulled Draco over onto his back and held his mouth open. Both Malfoys we're given it and forced to sit in a chair with a sticking charm on it. Their wands had been confiscated.

"Now that you have that in order," Lucius sneered at the order, "May we please get on with it Gentleman. I'm sure we have much to discuss."

"Mr. Malfoy, we're you aware that the Death Eaters we're going to crash Beltane?" Shacklebolt asked.

"If he was aware, do you think we'd be here? We'd be at their headquarters," Draco retorted with a huff.

"Now Draco, don't be rude. I had no prior knowledge of them coming to the party. I tortured them in my basement a few nights before and it seemed they decided it was the perfect time to get revenge on my family and I," Lucius said.

"You tortured them?" Draco questioned.

"It was the only way to find out who had destroyed Miss Grangers shop—you and your mother are so fond of her. I have to protect whatever you two invest your time in," Lucius was straining his voice.

"You went after them because of Hermione?" Harry asked in shock.

"Of course he did," Draco snapped.

"What are the Death Eaters up to?" Remus asked.

"I believe I," Snape drawled, "can answer that." He walked in from another room and took his seat at the stone table.

"Then please, enlighten us," Remus growled. He had never liked Snape and everyone knew of it. Just as everyone who was older—knew of his infatuation with their best friend's wife. They were never welcoming of Snape until Dumbledore had spoken on his behalf.

"It would seem they have everything they need almost for Voldemort, to rise again—"

"How is that possible?" Tonks shouted as everyone began to mumble to themselves.

"If you wouldn't interrupt. All they need is the blood of the boy. They tried once and fail—they will not fail again," Snape eyed Harry.

"They want Harry? We'll protect him though—they've always wanted Harry," Ron spluttered.

"If you had let _me _finish, I might be able to provide an explanation—"Lucius spat sourly at the rest of the crowd of Orders. He had a higher distain for them now more than ever, the lot was filled with Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors and few Ravenclaws. Always so ready to run straight into battle without thinking of the consequences of their actions.

"What have you got to say Lucius," Arthur addressed him.

"I talked with them and they appeared to be innocent of Miss Granger's book store, however they have been seeing one of your own sneaking around in Knockturn alley. They won't say who—but he must be working with them. You would be wise to limit your contact with others and how much everyone, even here, knows." Lucius held his head up high with pride. He had done something that even the Order couldn't do. They were too cowardly and too good to sink so low as to torture for information.

"One of our own?" Ron raged and slammed his fists on the table.

Harry began, "calm down Ron, we don't know for sure—"

"This tosser is making us look at ourselves, when we should be looking more towards them and his wife! Can you believe that any of us would hurt Mione!" Ron asked.

"We wouldn't, but if someone was under the imperius or worse polyjuiced, something could happen. We'll figure it out though," Harry told him. He placed his hand on his friends shoulder, pushing him down into his seat once again.

"You clearly still have no manners, Weasley," Draco sneered.

"He's right though—Hello Lucius," Andromeda spoke softly after apparating into the room with a light pop.

"Andromeda," he bowed his head lightly.

"Bellatrix insisted that she was being fed information from our insiders. Someone in this room is not who they seem. It cannot be the Malfoys—she still claims that they love the Dark Lord even if they are blood traitors to her now. Snape is not a known Order Member either. It's someone we would have never thought of," Andromeda sighed.

"Until we can do anything, we should not be talking—I'm dismissing you all. Arthur, Lucius, Remus, and Andromeda—you will be coming with me," Shacklebolt ordered and walked out of the room and towards another. Tonks followed suit after Remus had waited for her and they entered the room together, there was no way she was being left out of anything.

"Unstick me Potter," Draco asked. He had kept his voice under control—there was no sneer there.

"Fine," he lifted his wand and Draco was able to go free. He lifted himself off of the chair and stretched out his legs before reaching for his wand. He kept to himself while Potter and Weasley were talking and whispering to themselves before Potter started to walk over towards him with an out stretched hand.

"What's this?" He asked.

"You told me first year that I should shake your hand and make friends with you, this isn't an offer a friendship, but a truce would be nice. Not just for us and the Order, but for Mione's sake too. How about it?" Harry asked.

"A truce with you or with the Weasel too?"

"This is an extended Truce from all of us—you know there's going to be a war. Don't be daft, you know we'll win and I don't think Mione wants to see your family on the wrong side of it.

Draco nodded his head for a few seconds and stared off at the table once more, he knew that the war would rage on and there was no way that Voldemort would come close to winning. His side would be the only one that lost and magical blood would be spilled everywhere.

He stuck out his hand and took Potter hand in his own, gripping it tight they shook on it, "deal, but I'll tell you what I told your little bushy haired friend. I'm not the good guy—there's no more room for good guys. I'll do my part for what I'm supposed to do and that is all. I don't want to be a war hero—just keep my family alive," He admitted.

"Never expected anything less," Harry let out a sigh of release.

"I'm still calling you Potter though," Draco pointed out.

"Same to you, Malfoy," Harry nodded and they dropped each other's hands. It was an unexpected truce from them. They would never be friends—not the way they could have been if Harry had shaken his hand in first year, but then this whole war wouldn't be happening and people like Hermione wouldn't be around.

"Did you get that bird you wanted?" Draco asked softly.

"Ginny? Yeah, I asked her to marry me actually—she's going to be Mrs. Potter," Harry said excitedly. It didn't matter that he was talking to Draco, he was just glad to be talking about Ginny.

"Poor girl, she won't be able to go anywhere now with that last name—"Draco laughed.

"Who did you get Malfoy?" Ron hissed.

"Don't know, I'm looking for her though—that's for sure. Witch was bloody brilliant and I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Father knows who she is, but I guess it's my job to find her," He drawled on as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up at the stone ceiling. He recalled the night and dances that they had shared. He was already smitten and he barely knew her name—there was just something about her.

"What about you Ron?" Harry asked, not to leave his friend out of it.

"I don't want to say," He grumbled.

Draco laughed at that, "didn't kill the stag—did you?"

"I got Lavender you Git. The silly bint won't leave me alone after this, thinks we're perfect for one another I bet. Mione is going to be so disappointed," Ron sighed.

"Hermione? Why would she be disappointed?" Draco asked with a furrowed brow.

"She wanted to get together with me, I know it!" Ron insisted.

Harry shook his head and put his hand on his friend's shoulder once again in attempt to calm him down, it never worked though with his Weasley Temper. "She'll be happy with whoever she finds Ron. You know you've had a thing for Lavender since fourth year. Might as well just admit it to yourself Mate," Harry said happily.

"You know I like her though," Ron whined.

"You can like two birds and only pick one," Draco said.

Harry nodded his head, "Exactly!"

"Just go grab our Coin's and let's get out of here. I'm sure mum would appreciate us being home," Ron sighed and pushed Harry towards the table. Ron grabbed the coin on the left and after Harry picked up the other, he looked back at Draco before disappearing.

"What in the bloody fuck was that?" Ron shouted.

"Father!" Draco yelled out and soon the rest of the order was walking back into the room and when they saw Harry missing they began to scream and ask what happened.

"We don't know—the coin, it must have been a port key!" Draco concluded. His eyes had gone wide and his breath had stopped. They would think he did it or worse that there was actually someone there who was plotting against them. He could only hope he was really on the right side.

"Is this true, Ron?" Remus asked. Tonks was behind him rubbing his back as he was getting flustered.

"Yeh, he was here one moment and the next he was gone. I don't know where he could have went—we have to find him!" Ron panicked.

Draco locked eyes with his father before nodding his head once and quickly covered his hand over his forearm. It was starting to heat up even worse than before. They were going to be summoned very shortly.

"We'll go back to the Manor—talk to Molly and the girls. They might know where he is," Remus ordered them and soon they began to apparate back towards the Manner. The only thing that they all knew, was that this was the start of the next Wizarding War.

**A/N: We're getting there. This will probably end at the Battle of Hogwarts-so you'll know after the next chapter some of the major key events that will happen each chapter that lead up right to the Battle.**


	15. VX

**Beltane Night**  
><em>XV: Fear No Darkness<em>

Malfoy Manor was completely trashed, and parts of the woods had been scattered across the field. Trees had also fallen, while trying to protect their home, the forest. The girls were outside with Narcissa, she had been sent from the Order's meeting. Her job was to come back to the Manor and fix what had been broken by the Death Eaters.

Pansy, Luna, and Ginny offered Hermione and Narcissa their help to clean the Manor up. They used their magic to slowly bring the outside back to life once again, including the flowers that were slowly beginning to bloom again thanks to Luna's knowledge about magical gardening.

Where the bonfire had been was trashed and the rocks that had circled it were thrown around in the grass. The ashes from the wood was blowing in the wind from the fire, when they were supposed to be kept for next year's Beltane Night.

The Hawthorne tree that Hermione had once put her wishes was burnt to a crisp and crumbled on the ground. The bright bark was now dark and ashy, it smelled rotting wood. It was enough to almost bring Hermione close to tears. It was meant to be a magical night, one that would bring her close to who she was, but ended in disaster.

They were lucky that the statues of the Mother Goddess and her Horned god we're still intact, but the offerings that had been around the altar were smashed to bits.

"This is ridiculous! How could someone think this much destruction is _normal?_" Ginny asked. Hermione could only shake her head in confusion along with the rest of the girls. They slowly revived the flowers that had been crushed in the Death Eaters wake.

"They will get what they deserve. Papa always says that things have a way of sorting themselves out, and we just need to help it along," Luna replied happily. She was the only girl within their friends who could stand in a burnt down field and still have high hopes for it. She was always optimistic and for once Hermione was glad for her cheery tone.

"Luna's right—we just have to win this war," Hermione sighed.

Ginny and Pansy worked together to right the tables that had been flipped over while Hermione was pulling the wishes that were unburned from the Hawthorne tree's branches. Taking the scraps of fabric she placed them in a small jar and set them down on one of the tables that Ginny and Pansy had turned over.

Luna was over near the forest trying to talk to the fairies and other animals into letting the girls help them out within the forest. Luna was kind and gentle, so she was the best chance that they had of the forest trusting them.

"Do you think we'll ever get this place in shape?" Pansy let out an annoyed sigh.

"We will—it's almost done, except for a few things. It would be worse if we didn't have magic," Hermione shrugged. She picked up a few more scattered twigs around then looked to see Narcissa walking towards them with drinks and snacks. She had almost forgotten that it was already passed lunch time.

"Here you go girls," Narcissa smiled and placed the sandwiches and drinks down on the table. "Thank you all for helping out today. It's hard to see my home like this," she said and put on a fake smile.

Luna apparated next to the table and sat down, catching the last of Narcissa's statement.

"It'll be perfectly fine in no time Mrs. Malfoy. Just give it time—oh! Cucumber sandwiches," she replied happily and picked up one of the smaller ones and nibbled on it. Pansy couldn't help herself from laughing and then it slowly became infectious throughout the group.

"Could you imagine us all sitting here if this had been us five years ago?" Ginny asked after she had calmed down, her hand still against her stomach.

Hermione's ribs we're beginning to hurt until she finally calmed herself down enough to shake her head no. "If Sybil had ever told us that we would be here, I wouldn't have believed her. I don't believe her predictions anyhow—divination is rubbish—but this would have been the most farfetched prediction she could have made."

Divination was not a subject that Hermione had taken kindly too, but besides Divination and Flying, there was nothing that the bright witch couldn't do.

"Harry!" their heads turned as Remus and Shacklebolt rushed out. They burst through the Malfoy's back doors along with the rest of the Order trailing along behind them frantically. Hermione stood up when she saw Lucius and Draco being held by them as they tried to break away from the pack.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

Remus shook his head for a moment, trying to catch his breath. "Harry has been taken, the coins we created were tampered with—we don't know where he is!" Remus shouted. Hermione's eyes became wide and Ginny was the next to stand up.

"He couldn't of bee taken. You were all with him—who gave him that coin?" Ginny demanded. Hermione was certain that the older witches and wizards had never been more scared of being on the other end of the Weasley fury. If some of them were scared of Hermione then they would be equally scared of Hermione and Ginny together.

Draco pushed his way off of Bill Weasley and wiped himself off, "Your brother and I were the only ones there, Red. We don't know who took your boyfriend," he replied.

"Ronald! Which coin did you take?" Hermione rushed over pushing past everyone and took the coin from Ron's hand and pulled it tight to her chest and squeezed it between her palms. She wanted to try to send Harry a message—it would heat up on the other end of the coin and Harry would know that it was really her. Only actual members of the Order we're able to use the coins to send messages. They had once been used for Dumbledore's Army during school.

Hermione gazed down at her palm with the coin and a small inscription appeared on one of the sides, '_we all end up here'. _

"Harry's alive!" she exclaimed.

"But where is he?" Shacklebolt asked.

"That I don't know—but I know where I can find it," she took off from the group and towards the Malfoy's Library. It held her books that she had written. They were displayed neatly as Hermione picked up her fourth book and began to scan passages from it. She remembered a quote that Harry had given her—it sounded familiar to what he said on the coin.

The group had stood in the doorway and slowly filtered in as they watched the young witch pull book after book on the shelf after skimming them until she arrived at some passage. Her fingers brushed against the pages harshly and her lip had an indented tooth mark.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked slowly as she walked over towards her.

"No—we best pray he's not here. Little Haggleton Graveyard—"

"They took him there during fourth year though! Why would they go back there when it might be obvious?" Ron asked.

"It's not obvious—only a fool would think the Death Eaters would go back to a place they had already been fought off in. That's what makes it perfect. It's also the place where they must have Voldemort's remains," Hermione sighed.

"Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I must be taking my leave now," Lucius Malfoy sneered as he walked away from the group. Clutching his forearm he collapsed into smoke before apparating towards the destination he was being called too.

Narcissa quickly pulled Draco away from the group as he clutched his forearm in pain.

"Follow them!" Hermione ordered as Draco gave her a frightened look and he too collapsed into smoke and was off.

"I'm on it!" Tonks yelled as she apparated along with them—following them. Shacklebolt gave Hermione a hard nod before taking after Tonks.

In moments she was barking out orders for everyone to get what they needed. Remus and Mad Eye were getting everyone's brooms. She wanted to just apparate after them, but it would be too risky with all of them. If they made too much noise then they would give away their element of surprise. They would need to fly to the graveyard and land softly outside of the gates in order to stay one step ahead of the Death Eaters.

"You know, Mione is pretty scary," Fred whispered to George.

"Wouldn't want to—"

"Get on that Birds bad—"

"Side," they finished together.

"She might hear you," Ron hissed out at his brothers and shoved George into Fred. Hermione shot a look at all three that made them stop in their tracks as they began to leave the library. Everyone was ushered from the Malfoy's library and to the front of the house where Remus and Mad Eye were passing out brooms along with Bill and Arthur.

Mad Eye directed everyone and Hermione slowly mounted her own broom. Her hands were shaking as she gripped onto the handle tighter than necessary. She had never been the best at flying—in fact she was downright terrified of heights, but Harry was her friend. He was more than her friend, because he was her brother.

"Oh my mark!" Mad Eye yelled.

"Go!" Remus said impatiently and everyone was off as they flew towards the cemetery. Remus was leading at the front—it was his best friend's son. Remus couldn't let something happen to the only son of one of his best friends, and he considered Harry his family as well.

They flew over the area, circling as they slowly started to land outside of the Graveyard. Hermione could see that there were multiple Death Eaters surrounding Harry as they finally landed and moved through the small cemetery. She hid behind a Mausoleum and watched as Peter Pettigrew pricked Harrys arm and pushed his wand into a cauldron.

"What is the meaning of this?" she could hear Lucius Malfoy speaking.

A great laugh erupted from someone's throat, "We've finally found a way to retrieve the Dark Lord. He may rise again," Rudolphus Lestrange laughed.

Soon they were stirring the pot and the Death Eaters moved away from the cauldron as smoke began to billow out, falling onto the ground. The smoke and fog were illuminated by the rays of light coming from the cauldron and soon something began to form as it rose from the cauldron, hovering in the air.

Hermione let out a strangled gasp and Ron quickly covered her mouth as Voldemort began to become fully formed.

"Look at you all! Here with me once again," Voldemort smiled. "How many are here out of loyalty though…"

"My Lord, we are all here out of loyalty to you," Lucius spoke frantically and bowed his head.

Voldemort let out a laugh, "You? Loyal to me? That is not what I have been hearing from Bella or Wormtail," he grinned.

"Where they are so easily distracted by falsehoods, I hope that you, My Lord, can see the bigger picture. How do you expect our forces to take hold of the Mudblood, Granger?" Lucius nodded his head.

"Do you really believe your own lies, Lucius?"

"My son is acquaintances with her and my wife treats her like she's part of the family. She will not question our loyalty to her. We will give her to you once you've disposed of the Potter boy," Lucius said.

Hermione's eyes began to fill with tears, she knew in her heart that they were lying, but the pain didn't stop. Ron's hand came up to grip her shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Remus and Shacklebolt were giving orders silently for the Order to circle the graveyard. They had to wait until Harry was able to get out of danger, instead of standing on the bones of Tom Riddle's father.

Voldemort began his speech when he noticed Harry, talking about Harry's parents until he pressed his pointer finger into Harry's scar, eliciting a heart wrenching scream. "I can touch you _now," _Voldemort hissed out. "On your feet!" He bellowed out and moved Harry from the statue and threw him on the ground with his wand. He ordered Harry to pick up his wand to begin the wizards duel.

"Now" Remus mouthed to Hermione.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted as she pointed her wand at Rudolphus Lestrange. The other's chorused their curses together and Voldemort began looking around as the Order began closing in on them.

Voldemort let out a sickening laugh. "You filthy Blood-Traitors, Mudblood's, and half breeds. You are nothing!" he spat out, "I think it's time for a little show. Aveda Kedavra!" He shouted towards Harry.

Hermione screamed, "NO! Harry!" as Harry quickly moved his wand in front of him, shooting a spell at Voldemort's mid-air. The two held their wands as everyone began dueling around them.

"Leave the boy! He is mine," Voldemort commanded.

Hermione looked around until she saw Rookwood coming towards her. Dodging his spell she called out "Bombarda!"

The area around Rookwood exploded, sending him to the ground. He growled and came after her as they both dueled with skill.

"Confringo!"

"Crucio."

"Everte Statum!"

"Protego!"

Curses and hexes were thrown around. The graves were even targets, not being shielded from attacks from both sides of those who missed on accident. The rubble lay on the dirt of the graves and soon Hermione stopped when she saw a bright light coming from the middle of both Voldemort's and Harry's wand. It slowly began to blanket the two of them.

She turned her head to Rookwood who was looking at it as well. She moved her wand about and ropes shot out of it, tying him and knocking him to the ground.

"Go!" Harry called out from the ground. He was on his knees, as was Voldemort, and the spell overtook both of them. Hermione screamed for him as black smoke began to surround her and warm hands grasped her waist, and soon she felt the familiar tug of side apparition.

She coughed and put her hands on her knees once her feet landed on the hard floor of Grimmauled place. She looked up and saw Draco with a hard look on his face.

"What is wrong with you!" she shouted and pushed his shoulders roughly.

"I was told to take you back here, it's not safe! You're one of their targets," he argued.

Hermione growled, "I know what I am! Harry's still back there and he needs help. We're friends and my loyalty will always lie with him! I'm not afraid for myself," she spat.

Noises from the Order apparating back into the home could be heard all over the house. Light pops along with much larger and noisier ones and Hermione turned her back on Draco and went in search for Ginny. She found her crying near the steps of the house and quickly pulled her friend into a large hug.

"He'll be fine," Hermione whispered fiercely against Ginny's hair. Her own tears had begun to form and she didn't know if she needed to keep repeating the phrase for Ginny or herself. She walked them back into the living room and began to bark orders again. Telling them to secure the place and put up more protection spells.

"As you wish," Bill nodded his head and quickly left the room.

Hermione sat Ginny down on the couch, rubbing her back soothingly.

Finally Ron had apparated back into the house. "Have you seen him?" Ginny bawled and knew the answer immediately at her brother's hesitation and loud sigh. She threw herself onto the couch, and pulled a pillow tightly against her chest. Hermione's tears came faster and she flung herself into Ron's arms. He comforted her the best he could, completely uncomfortable with crying women until Fred slapped the upside of his head. Hermione was passed over to Fred and he held her tightly as she ruined his tee shirt with her tears.

"I don't know what to do with her when she cries," Ron insisted.

"Didn't George and I teach you anything? Even Bill?" Fred asked.

Ron spluttered for a moment before the tips of his ears began to turn red. "It's not the same, she's Hermione! She doesn't cry," Ron insisted.

Hermione was growing irritated and shot him a fierce glare before burying herself back into Fred's chest.

The Order had all gathered in the living room as Narcissa emerged from the fireplace, her hair in disarray and her clothes ruffled. Her face hardened as she entered the room, "Death Eaters have taken over my home. Harry Potter is still with Voldemort and he, he expects Lucius and I to be there when he kills Mr. Potter. He also wants Draco with us, to punish us for our insubordination."

"Harry's alive?" Ginny cried out from her Mother's arms.

"Yes, your Mr. Potter may still have a chance. I don't know how good of a wizard he is, but he has a fighting chance still," Narcissa said.

The coin in Hermione's hand began to slowly heat up and in an instant Harry was before their eyes on the floor coughing and trying to find his voice.

"Harry!" Ginny screamed and moved towards the floor, rubbing his back and coaxing him to stand up slowly.

"He's back—it's for good," He coughed out and moved his head into the crook of Ginny's neck. He held her, just held her like she was the last thing on earth that was keeping him in his spot. Hermione's eyes watered and she leaned herself against Fred as she watched the pair.

"You're going to need more people on the inside if you really wish to win this war. It is just that—a war. There is nothing glorious about sending…" He eyed Harry as well as Hermione and Ron along with the rest of the Weasley children and then his own son, "children off to battle."

"Go back and assure _him_ of your loyalty. You as well Snape," Arthur suggested and both men looked to one another before nodding and leaving through the Floo Network.

Hermione felt Fred's hand rubbing lazy circles against her back and she felt her cheeks begin to heat up with a blush. She stepped away from him and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry," she replied hastily.

"No blood no foul, I don't particularly like this tee shirt anyway," He gave her a small wink and hugged her once more before releasing her and sitting down next to his twin.

"Why do you want to help?" Ron asked Narcissa suddenly. All eyes turned to Draco and Narcissa Malfoy—a set of people they never imagined would be setting up in Grimmauled place with them.

"As much as we hold some prejudices, we don't want to see the destruction of an entire group of people. I do not want their blood on mine or my son's hands. We've been through enough of that with the first war. I lost my sister and she will never speak to me again I'm sure, then we met Hermione. She _is _my daughter for all purposes. I treat her with respect and she's an extremely bright muggle-born.

"I don't wish her to die and I don't wish for any of her kind to die. If I could take back what I've done…I would," Narcissa replied solemnly.

"Would you Cissa?" Andromeda asked as she stepped from behind Shacklebolt and Remus. Tears were glistening in her eyes as she finally was able to view her sister once again.

"I would make an unbreakable vow, sister," Narcissa insisted and pulled a locket from beneath her clothes and showed it to Andromeda. In a moment of forgetfulness she ran forward to pull her sister into a large hug.

"My little sister," Andromeda cried out and pulled Narcissa closer to her.

Draco was not one for watching an uncivilized display and slipped from the room. Hermione followed after him, she had been too harsh earlier. She screamed at him when he was just following the orders he was given _and _she was the next person on Voldemort's list. She was someone that he would love to get his hands on, to use her just to get to Harry.

When she saw him move up the steps she coughed slightly to get his attention and he turned to her. The bags under his eyes getting darker and heavier, if it was even possible, with each passing second.

"Draco…" she began.

"There's no need for that, Granger—"

Hermione quickly cut him off, "Thank you. You followed protocol and helped me. Your family is risking themselves to help on the right side of the war. I may not trust you…"

"You think everything is black and white? What do you know," He spat out. "You think there is only good guys and bad ones. I'm one of the bad guys Granger and I will never be on your side. It's not that I want Voldemort to win the war, but I've done things, I've seen things."

"Your past doesn't make you bad, it's your future—"

"No, you don't get it do you?"

"I'm trying to say I'm sorry for snapping at you!" Hermione hissed. "Can't you just accept my apology? I know that there are varying degrees of evil. Your family just happens to be on the shallow end of the pureblood pool. You aren't all bad."

"What do you know about that? There are things that even my mother has done that would make you cringe. She used the words Mudblood before and she did it with a smirk on her face," Draco told her. "I took this dark mark to protect my family. I am only loyal to them—I am not loyal to this little organization. I will do what I can to keep _you _protected, but if by protecting you I let someone else fall. I will let them fall."

"Is that what it means to be Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

"We aren't as bloody noble as you lot, we take care of our own. You just happen to be part of our own or we wouldn't be here. I would be on the side that wins, taking care of what is mine," Draco sighed.

"Your eyes—they're familiar," Hermione said softly.

"I would hope so, we've been in classes together since we were eleven," Draco snorted.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "No. That's not what I meant. Did we see each other on Beltane?" She questioned.

"How am I supposed to kno—" Draco clutched his forearm in pain and looked up at her and then down at his pulsing forearm, the snake began moving out of the skull and soon he collapsed into a pile of smoke and apparated from Grimmauled place, leaving Hermione standing on the foyer of the house.

She rushed to the front door, peaking through the windows to see that Death Eaters were prowling around outside. She felt her throat closing in a panic as she watched them on the prowl, looking for their headquarters. She was lucky that it was invisible to them—only visible to the people who should know about it.

"Don't fear them, Hermione. Make yourself the feared one," Narcissa said softly from the entryway to the living room. She leaned against it with a stone hard look gracing her face. Hermione didn't look back at her, only observing the death eaters that were prowling outside. She nodded silently and closed her eyes. She wouldn't fear what was in the dark.

**A/N: See, I swear I'm not abandoning this. It's just taking slower than I would like to get this done-I'm still taking care of my mother and writing other things and this has taken a bit of a break, however I've found new inspiration for it. I love when you all review an give me your feedback. I'm still trying to figure out a good ending point for this, but I'm not sure that many would enjoy it so It's on the back burner while I finish writing the rest of the chapters. I'm also going to be going through my previous chapters and editing them so I will most likely update with the new chapter in a week. **

**Thank you for your patience and understanding. **

**xoxox**

**K**


	16. XVI

**Beltane Night**  
><em>XVI: Rune Magic<em>

Months upon months had passed since Harry was taken the day after Beltane, to the old graveyard. Almost half a year since Voldemort was discovered to be alive and the Ministry was slowly tearing itself apart from the inside out. They were no closer to finding out how to kill him then they were when he was brought back to life.

The Order suspected that Death Eaters were slowly infiltrating the government, with the laws being changed overtime—slowly—to support pureblood elitists. Harry's name had been tarnished with a campaign run by Ministry officials, and they damaged his reputation almost beyond repair to the magic community that did not know him. Some witches and wizards feared him, and only the Order knew the truth.

They were constantly watched as well. It wasn't a surprise when Hermione turned up on the Weasley's doorstep, eyes blotchy and with Narcissa Malfoy behind her. The Death Eaters had ruined her shop this time, putting her out of business and stealing her old and unusual books. She and Crookshanks were only able to get out alive due to Narcissa being in the neighborhood.

She was forced then to watch her books and her lifelong work, burned within her shop. Then she was sent into hiding along with the others.

Harry had become the undesirable number one within the magical community. Hermione and Ron had made the list as well, respectively. They feared her the most, because she was not named the brightest witch of her age for nothing, though she was still a lowly _Mudblood _in their eyes. Unfit to wield the magic that she was given by the Goddess.

Every member of the Order had been assigned a task, it was crucial in keeping them together. Kingsley was watching the Ministry and the Aurors closely while Remus and Mad Eye were on Potter duty. Harry was never alone for more than five minutes at a time, much to the reluctance of him and Ginny. Evil was lurking around the corner, always in the dark—unseen by the naked eye.

Hermione spent most of her time hovered over a book and was given special permission to use the Gringrott's library. Bill Weasley had gotten her an in, and when he escorted her there she would bring her purse with the undetectable extension on it, almost clearing out multiple shelves at a time. She made use of his study skills and quick reading and put him to work taking notes for her when she couldn't. It made the most sense to use the ex-head boy's work ethic.

The old Minister of Magic had come to them a week prior, giving them each a gift. Harry was given the snitch that he had first caught, left to him by Dumbledore.

Hermione had told him of the snitches ability to remember events. It remembers the first and last time that it was ever caught. Nothing seemed to work, even after releasing it in the house for Harry to run around and catch. No memory lay deep in the gold shell.

Ron had received a small tube from Dumbledore, it seemed to be able to give and take away light from any room. Dumbledore had said in his letter that he hoped it would guide him along his journey.

Hermione was last to receive her gift. She was given Dumbledore's own copy of the tales of Beetle and Bard. He had left a note in his letter to her, which he hoped this would serve her well as it has him. She had been through the book a dozen times looking for something that would help them begin to find any of the Horcrux's that they knew were out there.

Molly was set on having a party, something to distract from the inevitable war that was upon them. She had roped Tonks and Luna into helping her plan the whole event. Maybe she figured if they could behave in civilized fashion, that the war wouldn't come. Maybe she believed that she could protect her family, most almost children, from becoming child soldiers.

Now they were all looking at their hard work and Luna was sent inside to retrieve Hermione and Bill from the library. They rarely left, except for when they needed to sleep and eat and have the bit of alone time that they were afforded.

"There has to be something here. We know about his diary and that was destroyed by Harry with the Basilisk Fang…" Hermione muttered on.

"Dumbledore destroyed Marvolo Gaunt's ring as well. He used?" Bill questioned.

"The sword of Gryffindor. Could it just be an object of Gryffindor can destroy them?" Hermione questioned out loud.

"The Basilisk fang wasn't part of Godric's ideas," Bill carried on. "It has to be something with Gryffindor though, Godric and Salazar were so different."

"Maybe it just has to be Hogwarts property," Hermione reasoned.

Bill shook his head as they sorted through all of their papers. They had been at it for weeks—searching for something that they could find to destroy them. It wasn't just enough that they found out what the Horcrux's were, if they had them and could not destroy them—it would be moot point.

"Do we know what else could be a Horcrux?" Luna interrupted.

Hermione looked up quickly and brought a hand to her chest, startled by Luna's presence. She smiled and quickly pulled up a drawing and a locket from the table. "This is Salazar Slytherin's Locket. It's a fake though—we need the real one. Regulus Black stole it from the Crystal Cave—the original place that Voldemort kept it," Hermione rambled. "We've looked everywhere for it, but nothing has tipped us off to where it's been."

"We think he may have taken an item from each house, something of significance to the other founders. An Heirloom maybe." Bill said.

"Interesting—I think you will do just fine, finding them, but Molly wants us outside right now. Narcissa and Draco are here as well!" Luna replied happily and skipped off from the Library and out the door. Hermione and Bill looked at one another before marking their pages and heading towards the living room as well. Bill's shoulders were shaking from the laughter that he was trying to conceal.

Hermione quickly stepped to the side, letting Bill leave the room first. "I'll be right behind you in a minute. I need to take care of some things before I can go," She said quickly.

"Of course—don't be too long. You know how my mother worries about you. I'll distract her," He gave her a quick wink and was off towards the outside. She rushed to the window and saw his form moving closer to the tent, and then disappearing inside of it.

Hermione stayed inside until she knew everyone was clear of the house and quickly began to pack up the last remaining bits of items that she needed. She had been packing for weeks slowly, with the intentions of not letting anyone onto their plan. If things were to go to hell in a short amount of time, she would be prepared to grab Harry and Ron and apparate right out of the situation. Only Remus was aware, he had approved of it.

She had packed enough books, food, shelter, and other necessities like their clothes in her bag. She had the feeling that things were happening and that they would be forced to finish what the previous generations had started to fight against.

Stuffing her bag with the last bit of notes that she had taken with Bill, she pulled her bag close and placed it around her shoulder and walked out of the Weasley house slowly. She examined every last bit of surface of the house, it wouldn't be long until she was forced to part from it. She was almost certain that she wouldn't even survive the war.

The time she had spent studying inside the house, may as well have been the last time she ever stepped foot into it.

She left the house, unshed tears still in her eyes, and walked over to the tent. There was a band and couples dancing while other's toasted to a long life and drank merrily. She watched the others as Harry was talking to an older gentleman and woman, and Ron was dancing with Lavender Brown. A smile was plastered on his face and her eyes sparkled with life.

Ginny was dancing with her brother Charlie, and Bill had taken to drinking with Remus while they began reminiscing about their glory days at Hogwarts—of course they attended at different times.

"Do you forget to sometimes live your life?" She turned around to see Draco behind her. "In place you seem to just watch everyone."

She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't forget to live life. I've got a lot of planning to do."

"The-Boy-Who-Lived can take a night off with Weaslebe, but you can't?" He questioned.

"Who do you think does the research? They're great at coming up with things spontaneously, but our base plan always comes from me. We can't just go into things blindly," Hermione insisted. "It's _suicide." _

"I'm not making fun of you Granger, but you do need to relax. Come on—Dance with me?" He offered his hand. Hermione glanced at it skeptically, then placed her own hand into his. He moved them through the crowd and onto the Dance floor, twirling her about the room. They were completely oblivious to the stares that they received and how the room had almost stopped chatting in the wake of their dancing.

Her face stayed hard until he dipped her and then a small smile graced her lips, as she tried hard to push the feelings away. They had danced through multiple songs until others began to cut in and ask for her to dance with them.

The party was in full string and she had danced with Draco four times already by the time the night was about to end, and she was back in his arms. They had talked about everything, just like they did the day before Beltane, in the meadow. Though now the tone of their conversation was solemn, each hoping to see the end of this war.

"You're going to live," He would mumble to her once in a while.

"If I live, then you have to as well," Hermione replied.

Draco laughed and shook his head, "I told you I'm the bad guy. We don't see the end—we don't get the happy ending. We don't live. My mother maybe, but my father and I are a different story. We won't."

It ended their conversation and they just danced. Hermione enjoyed the feeling of his arms around her, holding her close. Her eyes closed for the rest of the slow song, as she took in everything around her.

The song ended and they both parted, Hermione with a look of melancholy across her face. Draco bowed and let the next man take her into his arms.

Hermione was now dancing with her ex-boyfriend and longtime friend, Viktor Krum. He had involved himself with the Order of the Phoenix, and was still stationed in Bulgaria, collecting intelligence for them. There were more Death Eaters abroad then they had originally suspected.

"Her-MY-oh-nee! You—look beautiful tonight," Viktor complimented her. A blush began to spread across her face when he kissed her hand.

"It's nice to see you again, Viktor," Hermione smiled.

They talked like old friends, after all—Hermione was a fantastic pen pal. They kept in touch once a week by Owl and she knew about his career as a Quidditch player. They talked about his love for the sport and her thirst for knowledge. He supported her, in her career as an Author among things, being the first to ask for her autograph on her latest book. They were great friends and supported one another after splitting up when she was only fifteen.

He always invited her to his first opening Quidditch matches as well, giving her, Harry, and Ron box seats.

"I vould like you to come to my—"

Screams occurred simultaneously around them and a bright flash of blue light lit up the sky and crashed down through their tent. Viktor moved in front of her as the globe began to pulse, and soon figures began to move from the orb, a few feet away from it then disappeared into smoke. Hermione recognized it immediately as a communication patronus.

"The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead. They are coming…they are coming…" Kingsley's voice rang out.

The crowd began to panic and Wizards and Witches a like were apparating out while others were looking for their portkeys and brooms.

"Aveda!" a man shouted from behind Molly. The crowd quickly parted and Igor Karkaroff walked into the center of the circle, wand drawn at Hermione. Her eyes widened in horror as he sneered at her, his teeth messed up.

"You _stupid_ girl. Couldn't leave vell enough alone! I vreck your shop and you come back. You should have stayed away!" He screamed in her direction.

Every wizard had their wand drawn and pointing at Igor, but he was determined to land his target. He moved closer to her as she moved back. Draco was behind her, pulling her to stand behind him while Victor still stood rigid in front of them. He would face his old headmaster if it came down to it. She was his friend and he didn't take her blood into consideration when wanting her friendship. He didn't need to.

"Stay here," He hissed and soon Bill Weasley and Ron had joined their ranks. Flanking Hermione's sides, as she was part of their family.

"What business do you have here?" Arthur asked calmly. His wand aimed at Igor's heart. Molly was at Arthur's side, holding his hand tightly in her grasp.

"You let _my _son. Mine! Mingle vith filth!" Igor shouted.

Hermione's heart beat fast inside of her chest. She prayed that the Malfoy's had lied about _this. _She never imagined in a million years that they had hit the nail on the head when they said the Weasley's were no stranger to Beltane. They had come together despite Molly and Arthur not finding each other, but they had found actual love. Anger then began to boil under her skin, _the Malfoys were right. _Arthur was still Bill's father in her eyes, he had raised the young boy and he was head of the Weasleys. She didn't believe that Igor had any claim over him, Arthur had raised Bill with his values.

"You have no son here!" Arthur shouted. Hermione had never seen Mr. Weasley as upset as he was now. Murder was in his eyes.

"It vould seem so," he sneered looking towards Hermione. Igor's gaze then drifted and landed on his biological son, Bill. _"You Mudblood _Lover," he yelled accusingly.

"Leave Igor," Molly pleaded. The past had come back again, to terrorize them after they had tried so hard to keep it from their children and the world.

"You vish to forget? He gained your red hair. Pity he had not known his vather. I vould have straightened him out." Igor sneered.

"What's he talking about, Mum?" Ron questioned.

"Nothing! He's not telling you anything," Molly insisted.

Igor let out a laugh and walked closer to the group that had surrounded Hermione. "I've never been more ashamed. A verewolf as a _son _and protecting a Mudblood at that!" Igor spat and Bill growled loudly. They knew since Greyback's attack that he had been affected. It wasn't to the extent that Remus changed, but his physical demeanor would change. He became increasingly irritated during the moon and his taste for steak boarded on the raw side.

Hermione watched him straighten himself up and move forward, looking down at Igor.

"Arthur Weasley is my father. My father is not a _Death Eater_. It is I who would be ashamed if I had to call you Father," Bill growled. He pushed Igor back with his left hand and pointed his wand towards his throat.

"How did you come here?" Arthur demanded. "No one else knows we were having a party!"

"Polyjuice potion. Your youngest boy—yes—he is unobservant. His mind vas obliviated yesterday. No memory of me at all. I used polyjuice to impersonate him and vhen I could not…Imperio," Igor grinned.

Draco finally spoke out, "You tricked him into putting the coins out. You used him?" he questioned.

"Smart voy. Shame I vill tell the Dark Lord of your affections." Igor sang. He moved his wand, whipping them away from Hermione as black smoke started to dart through the tent. Women began screaming again as Death Eaters began to infiltrate the party. Their dark smoke overtaking the tent—billowing them in smoke that caught in their throats.

"I vill kill you, Mudblood," Igor screamed and shot a green light through his wand towards Hermione's frozen body.

Viktor jumped forward and grabbed her around the waist and pulled her away from the flash of green light. She finally snapped to attention.

"Oh Viktor, thank you!" She cried out and quickly kissed his cheek.

"Go, Her-MY-oh-nee! I vill hold him off. Go!" Viktor yelled and pushed her into the arms of Draco Malfoy.

"Come on!" Draco yelled for her and held her close as he pushed through the crowds, casting a spell here and there until they finally had moved towards the section where Ginny and Harry had just been. They looked around frantically for him.

A cackle rang through the night, startling all of the guests, and soon the tent was surrounded by a vicious fire that began to lick at the tents outside. Hermione saw Ginny and Bill fighting Death Eaters together, and Remus pushed Harry her way.

"Now!" Draco growled and pulled her by the hand towards the back entrance of the tent, near the bar. Harry called for Ron when the crowd began to thicken from the panicking guests. Fred and George appeared out of nowhere when Rudolphus threw a hex Harry's way and put up a shield.

"We've got you, mate!" they shouted in unison.

"Oh, Ron!" Hermione cried when he finally was able to get to them. Death Eaters had begun fighting dirty, moving through the tent—confusing everyone with their dark smoke. Harry and Ron disappeared behind the curtain, but Hermione turned around to look at Draco. She felt guilty—leaving all of them there to clean up on their behalf.

"Hermione. You have to go—get out of here. Stay far away from the wizarding world!" Draco yelled her way and began pushing her off towards the curtains. Harry had opened it up, waving his hand for her to move behind it with him, so they could apparate out of sight.

"How will I know that you and Cissa are alright?" She questioned.

"I will find you!" He shouted and pushed her into Harry's arms. In seconds Hermione concentrated on apparating and the familiar pull in her stomach occurred. "I will always find you."

Multiple horns honked loudly and she pulled them all onto the sidewalk of the city of London. The night life was so busy that no one had even seen them—they were too involved in themselves to see the three teenagers appear out of nowhere.

"Hermione, let's go!" Harry called out and grabbed her hand, he dragged her through the crowds. She was too busy concentrating—she knew that voice—she recognized it. Like a light switch had turned on inside of her head she _knew. _Draco had been the man she had let into her bed on the night of Beltane. He had been her stag.

She swallowed hard and looked around to see an alley then quickly grabbed Ron's jacket, and pulled them each into the alleyway, far back from the busy streets of London.

"Geez 'Mione, are you alright?" Ron asked, concerned.

"Yes, I just have a lot to think about right now. Here—we need to change!" Hermione quickly pushed her hand deep down inside of her little purse and found their clothes. It was next to the books and her box of potions that she had been brewing slowly over the past few months. Hermione had made enough to last them a year on the run if need be, but she didn't want to be away for that long. She pulled them out and shoved each set into the boy's hands.

"What's that?" Harry questioned.

"Undetectable extension charm…I thought we might need it," Hermione sighed while pulling out her own set of clothes. She had packed or each season as well along with things to help wash their clothes if they got dirty.

"Brilliant as always," Harry exclaimed and laughed. It put a smile on her face, he always admired her spell work and it made her proud.

They quickly changed and were off once again, ducking in and out of alleys until they found the destination that they were looking for. It had been harder to find then when Harry had first arrived at the House of Black. The muggles were unaware when their house began moving and Grimmauld place was formed once again.

12 Grimmauld place was opened and each of them took their wands out.

"Dumbledore put enchantments on this place, remember? We need to step lightly and be careful," Hermione warned as they stepped forward.

Looking around the house they found nothing, until a great gust of wind came forward. A screaming ghost came at them, dust coming with it. "Lumos!" Harry called out. The light left his wand and the ghost was put to rest and the dust rested on the ground, rolling against the floor lightly. It was just a small trick, looking to scare those who did not know that it was fake.

"It's time to make this headquarters. Let's look around," Ron said.

"Sounds good," Hermione backed him up.

The Trio split up and began searching the house, going through each room thoroughly looking for anything that could lead them to the next Horcrux. If it was anywhere, then it would be in Grimmauld place with Regulus Black's things.

The searched the house and used magic, attempting to find the locket, and nothing came to them.

**A/N: So, the secret is out. I wasn't so keen on making someone else Bill's father, but it plays a bigger purpose in the story. There's lots of things being foreshadowed up until now and it's just going to continue. There are a few chapters that will be Horcrux hunting and then the Battle...Then it's who will survive and who will die. **

**Beltane Night (the story) will end on the day of Beltane (within the fictional universe). It'll end where it began. **


	17. XVII

**Beltane Night**  
><em>XVII: Umbridge<em>

Storms had come and gone again, lighting up the sky at night for them. Contrasting against the old Grimmauld place, creating an eerie atmosphere for the Trio. They had even found Kreatcher lurking about, taking note of their movements. He had lunged at Hermione once, but Ron threatened him—keeping him in line once again.

Harry had ordered him to go and find the man that had stolen the locket. Kreatcher was gone with a snap of his fingers and had yet to return for a week. He was a house elf under the Blacks command, he had no choice, but to follow Harry's commands. He was now the owner of the estate itself, and in turn he became Kreatcher's master. It was not something that he enjoyed, but Kreatcher was stuck in his old ways of believing in blood purity himself—if he had let him go like he did dobby, then who knows where he would have used his services.

Hermione had taken to trying to teach Ron how to play the piano. Their fingers stroking the keys at the same time, though Ron's were slightly slower. The music was just as sweet if it had been at the same pace. It was the only thing that was keeping them sane, besides Potter Watch.

Ron had taken to listening to the radio, listening specifically to his brothers Fred and George. They recited plans and a secret password after each session. Allowing users to get in contact with them with any news. They talked about Voldemort's army and how the Ministry had fallen into disaster.

Their job was also to talk about the deaths—the lives that had been taken during the Death Eaters reign. Each night giving them a moment of silence and gratefulness for their sacrifice to make a better world for their future.

The numbers slowly rose each day, and it turned the Trio into waiting explosions. They did no good to sit around, and the guilt from the deaths was beginning to take its toll on them.

A loud crash came from the kitchen and Harry ran from Sirius's room downstairs. Hermione and Ron ran to the kitchen, wands drawn until they saw Dobby on the table.

"Hello Harry!" the elf cried happily.

Kreatcher was wrestling with Mundungus Fletcher and soon Dobbie moved onto the short man, to help out Kreatcher.

"This is the man who stole it?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Kreatcher remembers," Kreatcher hissed.

"Dobby saw Kreatcher lurking around Knockturn Alley. Dobby though he might help Harry Potter when Kreatcher mentioned his name. Dobby didn't want Kreatcher to hurt Mr. Potter," Dobby said quickly and Harry moved his wand into Fletcher's throat.

"Where is it?" Harry demanded. Hermione quickly moved around some of their valuables, far away from Fletcher and Ron flanked his other side. Pushing Fletcher into a corner with his wand also drawn.

"I don't know what you're talking about, this bloody elf has been going on about a locket. I've never had no locket!" Fletcher protested.

"It looks like this," Hermione said, exasperated. She held up the locket and thrust it into his face. Registration rang across Fletcher's face and soon he saw down on the chair in the corner. His moth twisted up into a grin.

"That locket—what interests do you have with _that _locket? Another woman years ago enjoyed it as well."

"Who was she?" Ron demanded.

"Don't know—some old bird walking around Knockturn. Said she was on the way to the ministry, and took interest in it. My way of getting out of trouble."

"If she's from the Ministry then you must know who she is." Harry said. His patience had begun running thin as the man tried to deflect each of their questions, keeping the woman a mystery.

"Alright, alright she's this older woman. Likes a lot of Pink, you've gotten it out of me," Fletcher put his hands up in surrender.

"No…" Hermione sighed out. She grabbed the Daily Prophet off of the table and shoved it into Fletcher's hands. On the cover was a picture of the Minister and his cronies, including one very pink Dolores Umbridge. "Is this the woman who took the necklace off of you? Don't you dare lie to us either," Hermione threatened.

"This might be her, she's gotten a bit older though—high voice?" Fletcher questioned.

"That's her—how are we going to get it back from Umbridge?" Hermione questioned.

Harry let out a sigh and placed his wand on the table and sat down, holding his head in his hand. Ron stayed silent, keeping his wand at Fletcher's throat.

"I don't know mate, but Dobby—could you take him away? Put him somewhere that we can track him easily. He's a thief…" Ron asked.

"Dobby can do that sir. Come now!" Dobby commanded the wizard and took a hold of his hand, apparating them away from the spot.

The Trio sat at the table for hours, coming up with exhausting plans and other things alike. It wasn't until midnight when Hermione pulled her potions from her bag. Holding up three small flasks of Polyjuice potion. Their plan was to invade the Ministry, using its own game. They would take hold of three officials and get the locket back from Umbridge, if she liked it or not.

"I don't know if this is going to work. Let's try to make this fast—I don't know how long the Polyjuice potion will last us," Hermione hissed when Ron and Harry stepped into the elevator with her. Everyone had stepped off, leaving the three of them on the elevator alone.

The Ministry seemed as busy as ever, as snatchers and officials alike were shunning the muggle-born workers and using their positions to forward their reign of terror.

It was hard for Hermione to see, the statue in the center with Muggles and Muggle-borns beneath a block. When Harry had asked what it was, her choked out answer was that they were _'in their rightful place'._ Then they were swept away in the crowd, moving through with uncertainty to look for Umbridge.

"Just keep acting. I know you can do it," Harry whispered.

"I've got a wife. Oh! Mary, what do I do?" Ron gasped.

Rookwood had threatened the man that Ron was impersonating. Telling him that his wife was being interrogated today and would be given the kiss. She was muggle-born and awaiting questioning to see if they were going to aid Harry in the war against Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

"You don't have an actual wife," Hermione's brows knitted together in confusion. Ron had always been one for dramatics and this time he had taken it a step further with the help of Polyjuice.

"No, but this guy does. If I was him—what would I do?" He asked frantically.

Harry shook his head and looked over at Ron, "go find your wife in interrogation. I'm going to Umbri—"

The doors flew open and Umbridge stood before them, "Runcorn—my favourite employee. Miss Hopkirk, I was just looking for you. We're off to the interrogation room. Come now," Her voice was high pitched and Hermione quickly followed her out, her heels clacking against the marble floor. "Remember to file those papers, Runcorn!" Umbridge called back to Harry.

Hermione gave Harry a look of fear and quickly dashed off, weaving in and out of people and moved after Umbridge.

She took the pen out of her neat bun and began to scrawl fake notes as Umbridge talked to her. They moved through the Ministry without anyone interfering, in fact they seemed to move far away from Umbridge and Hermione.

"Doesn't it make your heart soar to see them in their place?" Umbridge exclaimed as they passed multiple rooms with muggle-borns inside, being interrogated with many methods. Some, more legal than others. "Travers sent you, I believe?"

"Yes, Ma'am. He said you needed me?" Hermione said softly. She didn't know who he was at all and she didn't know what Mafalda Hopkirk did at the Ministry of Magic anymore. She felt herself grow colder as they reached the room which held Harry's previous trial. Her skin began to crawl when they entered and she looked up. Above them was a large patronus shield, keeping dementors at bay.

"Go to your post and begin recording once I say we are beginning. Expecto Patronum!" She waved her wand and a small cat came out of the tip and sat perched on her desk, adding to the Patronus shield and soon the wizard who was keeping it up before, left.

A young wispy looking woman came forth and was accompanied by Rookwood. The woman was sat down and Umbridge signaled for them to begin and Hermione took to keeping a record for her. It would help them, she was sure, if they needed to intervene in any of the up and coming trails if it was an Order member.

Umbridge questioned the woman for a half hour straight before she saw what looked like Harry and Ron, under their disguises, coming through one of the aisles.

"Ah, Mr. Cattermole—you join us only now? Tsk," Umbridge taunted. "What are you doing here Runcorn?"

Harry coughed before bowing his head, "Observing."

"Very well, now Mrs. Cattermole—have you ever been in contact with Harry Potter?"

"No Ma'am!" She exclaimed.

"Have you ever done magic in the presence of…_muggles?_" She spat out. Hermione was taken back, she knew that Umbridge was an uptight witch and an old hag, but she had never seen her as a bigoted fool. The stupid toad would get what was coming to her in the end. She looked over towards Harry and slowly moved her gaze to the locket that rested on Umbridge's chest, hoping he would understand.

Hermione noticed his gaze finally move towards her chest and she nodded her head.

"Runcorn—what are you doing?" Umbridge shouted as Harry moved closer.

"What Dolores?" Harry questioned.

"This is a private hearing. You've never come to one of these before, but now you find interest in these. Make yourself useful then and _help me_," she scowled.

"I must not tell lies," Harry said fiercely as his polyjuice began to melt away slowly.

"Wha—what?" Umbridge's eyes finally held recognition and she moved to grab her wand.

"Stupefy!" Harry called out, stunning Umbridge. She fell in her seat and the Patronus that was once keeping the dementors at bay, was left.

Ron and Hermione took care of the guards around the room, leaving them and another man's wife still standing.

"Grab it!" Ron shouted and Hermione moved up to Umbridge's podium then snatched the locket from her neck, and moved around her own seat and began running in her heels. Ron had grabbed onto Mary, pulling them with her as they rushed to the elevator. The Dementors were right behind them, the chill in the air following them.

"Expecto Patronum!" She called out, blocking them for seconds—giving the trio more time to escape.

Running into the elevator they closed it fast. The Dementors reached through the holes in the grates, their long fingers curling as they tried to reach them. Hermione felt her life slowly beginning to fade. Her determination was replaced with laziness and her happiness turned to sorrow. Her brown eyes began to fall as she grip on Harry's arm loosened.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry called out, whipping his wand forward and shooting the dementors back into the hallway, their elevator now free to go up and leave the floor. During the elevator ride Harry had completely transformed back and Hermione had done the same. Her hair had fallen from its bun and the clothes had tightened on her considerably, her form not as petite as Hopkirk.

"How do we get out of here?" Harry questioned. The elevator was approaching the main floor quickly and they had no plan in sight.

"Just keep your head down and if need be, run!" Hermione hissed out and the doors quickly dinged.

Hermione left the elevator first, her wand firmly in her grip, and Harry followed next. He kept his head down, trying not to meet anyone in the eyes.

"Mary, you need to get the children and get out of here." Ron quickly told the woman.

"Not without you!" She cried out, stopping Hermione and Harry in their tracks. They spun around to face their friend who was sporting red lipstick against his lips and cheeks now from a passionate kiss with another man's wife.

"You're, you're, not, not," she spluttered and pointed to him. Ron had slowly transformed back, the polyjuice potion completely gone from his system.

"Just go!" Ron shouted and quickly joined Hermione and Harry as they began walking through the Ministry briskly. Harry tried hard to keep his head down, Hermione even stuck close to him, trying to detract from him being recognized.

Whispering had broken out among the crowd and soon they were stepping back, parting like the red sea when Death Eaters called out for Harry.

"Get him!" Rookwood yelled out.

"Run!" Hermione shouted and Harry cast a spell, the posters of him as undesirable number one moved like a tornado and smacked against the Death Eaters who were running after them. They ran through the crowds and Hermione took her shot.

"Bombardo!"

The fountain blew up, the statue of Wizards standing on the backs of muggles and muggle-borns had been destroyed, the rubble moving across the marble. It had stopped a few Death eaters, but not enough that they weren't going to be caught.

"Quickly, we need to apparate!"

Hermione rushed towards one of the Green flames, but a gate came crashing down. Locking them from it.

"Keep going," Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her along. She ran faster in her heels, dodging and weaving through people until finally the three of them slid into a fire place, holding on to one another. Hermione imagined their destination, but when she felt Rookwood holding onto her foot, she struggled with him and kicked him off of her.

The tightness from her stomach exploded and she felt part of Rookwood stay with her as he drifted away and they found themselves in a forest.

Panting heavily she opened her eyes, the bright sky around them was clear and there was a light wind moving through the trees.

"Hermione! He's been splinched," Harry called out.

Hermione quickly got to her feet and moved over to Ron, his skin had been torn off near his shoulder—most likely dislocating it.

"Quickly grab my bag! Get out the potions," Hermione commanded and Harry reached into her purse, digging around before handing her a box. She moved through it quick, her fingers brushing over the tops of the vials before landing on Essence of Dittany. Taking the dropper she placed it on his wounds and it began to sizzle and smoke up, but his skin began to return to normal.

"Harry, take over for me. I need too, I need to fix this," She wiped the tears from her eyes and handed him the vial. Harry silently took over when Hermione got up and pulled her wand from her dress and began to recite protection spells.

"Salvio Hexia. Protego Totalum. Repello Muggletum," she repeated clearly as she walked around a wide area of land for them. She directed Harry to open up her bag once again to pull out the tent, it had been one of the Weasley's that they had used earlier in their fourth year at the Quidditch World Cup.

Hermione had walked the perimeter before casting a Muffliato charm and finally a Disillusionment charm. No one would know that they were in the area—it would be like they weren't there at all.

She slipped her wand back into her dress and moved forward towards their now set up tent. Harry had moved Ron inside and he would be able to sleep and rest up while they searched for a way to destroy the locket.

Hermione was sat outside of the tent, book in hand, trying to find something that Dumbledore had left them. Her frustration was growing with each turn of a page. It had been days since Ron was splinched and he was in no definite shape to be moving around. He was weak, but he was awake now and clung to the small radio he had taken with him.

The static buzzing through the tent and area, keeping everyone on edge as they listened to the body count of the war.

Harry's guilt festered into anger on multiple occasions until Hermione had demanded they take turns wearing the locket. The Horcrux, twisting and changing his personality into something vicious and cruel.

The rustling of branches brought Hermione back to the present, and she drew her wand quickly, pointing it at the noise.

"Who's out there?" She hissed out.

The noise grew louder and she raised her wand, "Homenum Revelio." Two sparks from her wand flew quickly through the trees and lit up a small portion of the bushes.

"Come out!" She called out, "reveal yourself."

She let out a breath as Narcissa Malfoy walked out from behind the tree line, looking around before walking closer and motioning to someone else with her hand. Draco followed after before turning around and mumbling another incantation.

"My precious girl!" Narcissa cried and swept Hermione into a hug. Hermione held her back, burying her face against Narcissa's shoulder and tears streamed down her face.

"How did you find us?" Hermione questioned.

"Mothers instinct and I found your name on the taboo list—you've got to stop saying _his _name. I erased all the records and didn't let anyone else see it. Draco and I are the only ones who know where you are," Narcissa revealed.

"I have to go say Harry. We've been using it to keep the spirits up. Fear of the name—"

"Only increases the fear itself," Draco repeated.

Hermione was taken back, "Right…"

She no longer knew how to treat him. She had slept with him and the reality of what they had done began to crash down around her. She let go of Narcissa, and stepped back, with her eyes never leaving Draco. She had _slept_ with him and he made a promise to find her again. He had tried to protect her from the Death Eaters and then Igor from killing her.

Her heart beat sped up and her fingers itched to reach out and touch him, thank him for being there. He stood before her, no smirk on his face and no frown either, just a silent understanding of what was running through her head. The wheels began turning slowly and she began to overthink everything. Draco had told her that he wanted to date the witch he ended up with, he wanted to date _her. _She knew now, she knew about him, but did it change his opinion? Her tongue darted out, licking her dry lips, as she fidgeted with her long sleeves.

"You two should come in," She spluttered out and moved towards the tent, opening up the flap and letting the two inside.

"Hermione, what is thi—oh, hello Mrs. Malfoy. Draco," Harry started.

"Mr. Potter, I'm here to _help_ you three. I've come to give some information that I've found out. I think you can use all the help you can get," Narcissa smiled and walked up the steps to the second level of the tent and sat at their bench.

"You came for information?" Hermione asked excitedly and quickly walked up, pulling out a notebook and pencil she waited patiently.

Harry smiled and sat next to Hermione and Ron moved slowly, the necklace around his neck still, and he sat at the end of the table. His moves cold and calculated while Draco sat next to his Mother.

"What do you know about the Horcrux's?"

"The Diary and Ring have been destroyed, but we have another that we're in possession of. The locket around Ron's neck…I don't know how, but I can feel them—I know where they are when we're in a certain region," Harry explained.

"I can tell you where one other Horcrux is. Bella—she has it. A cup and I think she mentioned that it was from the Hufflepuff family. Hepzibah Smith. It's in her vault at Gringrott's," Narcissa confessed.

Ron scoffed, "why should we trust you?"

"My mother risked her life for you three. Do you think that we are having a walk in the park either? Don't be stupid Weasley," Draco sneered.

"Enough!" Narcissa yelled. "I am tired of having my loyalty questioned. I am and will be always loyal to Hermione. I know you do not like me, Mr. Weasley—my intentions are not to gain your friendship or trust. It's to keep the young woman that I consider my daughter alive!" She yelled at him and slammed her hands down on the table.

"I hate it! I hate that my son is used as a prop and that you are having to play soldiers, but you are children! I don't wish death on any of you and I don't want my family to die either, but we all have a part to play."

Draco began to clutch at his forearm and his neck strained to look away from the group.

"Darling?" Narcissa questioned.

"I'm being summoned, I only have a few minutes," Draco sighed and quickly began walking towards the exit of the tent.

"I'll walk you out!" Hermione interjected and followed after him. She closed the tent flap and watched him pace through the woods, his forearm tense and his fist closed.

She coughed gently, "Draco—I think we need to—"

"Here," He cut her off and thrust a daisy into her hand. It was like the flower that she had given him. She smiled softly and touched the delicate petals and brought it to her nose. It smelled like life and fresh air, something that she couldn't miss while living in nature, but it smelled sweeter.

"Thank you," she sighed out happily.

"We can talk later, I promise. I've found you twice now—so what's once more?" He shrugged and gave her a shy smile.

In moments he collapsed into smoke and was gone, shooting across the sky. Narcissa came out of the tent and laid a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"We'll do everything we can for the Order back in society, but you two are doing miracles. I'm so proud of you," Narcissa leaned down and kissed the top of Hermione's head and they hugged once more before she walked out, past their boundary and apparated away.

She didn't move from her stop, still fixated by where Draco had just stood before her. Feelings of uncertainty and something else stirred in her stomach, coming through like light fluttering butterflies. She had never felt like that before, it was something completely new to her. She had never felt the same _attraction¸ _before Beltane. She questioned if it was just because they had slept together or if it was because she genuinely was fond of him.

She lowered herself onto the ground and stared at the Daisy, twirling it between her fingers and sighed happily.

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Here," she called out and looked over her shoulder. Ron's radio had begun playing again and Harry slowly walked out of the tent and came to stand beside her. He looked down at the flower she was holding and then sat on the ground next to her.

"What's that?" He questioned.

She gave a light laugh, "Just an inside joke between Draco and I. He was being an arse when he first bought me a flower."

"You call him Draco now?" Harry asked.

Her eyes widened and she turned her head to look at Harry, "No, just once in a while. We were never enemies like you two, just aggravated each other. We've just grown to have a certain agreement be-between us," she stuttered.

"He's _him,_" Harry smiled.

Hermione looked around, trying to aware of where Ron was before she leaned in close to Harry, "Yes, but we haven't talked. I don't know if we should at all—with all the deaths that are happened. I may not know when I'll see him again."

"That's the point, Hermione. You don't know if you will or not, and wouldn't you rather have your life end with you at least knowing something? You told me Books and Cleverness! There are more important things—friendships and bravery. I think it's time you need some Gryffindor courage," Harry pointed out.

"Maybe I do," she thought long and hard before speaking again. "I think they're going to be hunting the Deathly Hallows. Dumbledore knew things before they ever happened, his intuition was almost always right. He gave me this book and the symbol is there. I think he knew," Hermione said.

"Should we contact Remus?" Harry asked.

"No, Shacklebolt. He's got more access to the Ministry still. We need to find out if Dumbledore's wand is still where it is," Hermione replied.

They sat together silently.

"Are you ready, Harry?"

"For?" He asked.

"This. I don't know if I'm ready—I don't know if I'm ready to die," Hermione admitted.

"I'm not either." He confessed.

They sat in silence once more as the night drifted on. They didn't need any more words to feel the comfort that they provided each other.

**A/N:** _So, I've finally decided on an ending for this. I'll be ending it in 5 chapters, and they will be just as long as this one if not more so It'll bring me close to 100k. That's pretty amazing to me, because my longest work is 85k. They just keep increasing slowly and I've enjoyed writing this. Thank you each for sticking with this story and for the reviews that I've gotten. I really appreciate the reviews that I receive, because I don't know what you guys think about it unless you tell me. _

_Also, if you like to see updates and or things related to Beltane like Refs and updates (besides the website) you can follow me on tumblr under the same username katiwthlove. I always update my Dramione/Beltane Night tag first._


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